Breath of the Wild: The Phantom Realm
by WrittenInBold
Summary: Its been forty years since the fall of Calamity Ganon, but already a new Chosen Hero, and Descendant are forced to rise. The period of peace draws to an end; an in its stead comes war. Through blood and tears, the Chosen One fights to rise above his own inhibitions, and learns what it truly means to be a Hero... but will he ever be enough for to be with his beloved Princess?
1. A Chance Meeting

_Prologue_

It was done. The Calamity Ganon had been sealed away by the Princess and her Appointed Knight. The scars it left in its wake cut deep into the very land itself, scars that only time could heal. With the Calamity gone, the Princess and Appointed Knight set out to undo the atrocities that the Calamity had afflicted on the land of Hyrule. This proved to be no easy task, but with no small amount of courage and determination, the two rebuilt. Brick by brick, field by field, and home by home, the once proud kingdom of Hyrule was beginning to be returned to its former glory. The Princess and Knight were not alone of course, they had fought so hard for the full unwavering support and loyalty from the other inhabitants of Hyrule. The Gorons came, bringing their pickaxes and brute strength to clear roads, and remove debris. The Zora flexed their architectural ingenuity, and set out to redesign Castle town, and oversee the reconstruction of the castle itself. The Rito, would become a great asset in speeding up the process of sending messages to and fro, thanks to their abilities in flight. The Gerudo brought their various trades, primarily in jewelry, clothing, and the most vibrant array of colors for dyes. Such comradery and cooperation between these races had not been seen for nearly a millennium. The Hylians, who had been slow to recover from the verge of extinction due to the events of the Calamity attack, were returning in full force, filled with optimism; their future looked brighter than ever. Naturally, this pleased the Princess and her Knight beyond words, it was the best they could have ever hoped for. Rumors of their inevitable marriage was the buzz of the newly formed town, it was plain to see their love for each other. It wasn't long until the young kingdom would have a proper king and queen.

The towering Divine Beasts that had once assisted in the assault on Ganon for a time continued their watch of the land, but in time, without a purpose to serve they declined into disarray. Much of the ancient Sheikah technology, including the Shrine of Resurrection, began to power down. The Shiekah that continued to research the technologies of their ancestors soon realized that it was unlikely that the Divine Beasts, Guardians, and Shrines alike would likely never be of use to them again. Despite their best efforts, it appeared that the ancient technology they researched would never again operate. This was much to the Dismay of the Queen. As a younger woman, she always enjoyed researching and experimenting on the Sheikah technology. Alas, this hobby would have to pass with time.

It had been nearly forty years since the events of the Calamity, and Hyrule Kingdom was now a beacon of prosperity and freedom…

 _Chapter One_

The young boy was sure of it, today would be the same as any other. He was crouched in his usual hiding spot waiting for the mean old dog, and sure enough, after a few minutes, he spotted the all to familiar grotesque, foaming-at-the-mouth pit bull. It came trotting over to the fence in the back alley of one of the many streets he often played on. However, now was not the time for playing, there was serious business at hand. He watched intently as the dog walked ominously back and forth, sticking his short snout down to the pavement, where there was a small crack between the ground and the fence. He could here in sniffing, puffing, and growling. He knew what it wanted, the same thing It wanted every day; those helpless Cuccos safely tucked away in their pen. The boy readied himself, his trusty stick at his side, waiting for his perfect opportunity. The dog continued his hunt for a way in. There is no way it could jump the fence this time, he made sure of that when he tied those long wooden posts to the fence, proceeding to weave wooden planks in-between each one, effectively raising the height of the fence by three feet. The dog began to dig at a small patch of dirt at the end of fence, where the pavement ended. This was his chance to strike. He began to sneak his way closer to the dog, who was hard pressed to dig its way into the pen. As he inched forward he held his stick out, in the same manner and fashion that he saw some of the guards of the town do as they were practicing their swordsmanship. His plan was simple, as always: sneak up to the dog while it was unaware, strike it with the stick a few times, until it tucked its tail and ran. It had worked before, he was confident it would work again. By the time he had come within striking distance of the dog, it had its head and shoulders under the fence, with its hind legs thrashing about, trying to get a grip. As he took one more step closer, the dog froze, and he heard its snarl a deep and long growl.

 _Oh, it's too late for you,_ he thought to himself with a smug smile as he held the stick high above his head, ready to strike. The dog abruptly pulled itself from the underneath the fence, and tried to dodge the incoming stick. To no avail, the boy's stick met its mark, right on the head. The dog cried out a in a loud whimper, which promptly turned into a long, vicious growl.

 _I bet he's not happy with that one,_ the young boy thought. He resumed his fighting stance, ready for the dog to pounce. It didn't, instead it slowly circled the boy, keeping a low and watchful eye on him.

 _He's never done this before… He must be learning._ The dog continued to circle him, and he began to counter rotate. By the time the boy's back was to the fence, the dog stopped, and turned to face him head on. The dog proceeded to bend lower, signaling an impending attack. In a bolt of energy, the dog leaped towards the boy, he held the stick side ways with both hands in attempt to block the incoming attack. However, the dog did not go for him, but his stick trusty stick. The beast clamped down on the stick with its powerful jaws, and yanked his head to the side, snapping the stick in half.

 _I'm in trouble now,_ the young boy worried. The dog retuned to its low and slow circling routine, releasing a deep and intimidating growl.

 _If I can make it inside the fence, I should be safe… but what if he bolts past me into the pen? I have to try, or cuccos won't be his only snack today._ Without a second thought he ran towards the pen gate, and swung it open, attempting to close it behind him, but he was too late, by the time made it to the other side, the dog had burst through the entrance, and began his frantic chase of the poor cuccos.

 _I have to do something!_ Most of the cuccos were safely locked away in their coop, but the rest outside the coop squawked and ran in terror. The dog, after giving chase, had cornered the single fattest cuccos of the group. The cucco desperately flapped its little wings, trying to clamber up on some small crates stacked in the corner of the pen. The boy made a split-second decision, and sprinted to the cornered cucco, snatched it up under his arm and bolted out the pen gate as fast as his legs could carry him.

The dog perused them, exactly what he had hoped it would do, instead of staying with the other cuccos.

 _If I can outrun him, and loop back round, I might have time to get Mrs. Tamlin's cuccos back to safety, and think of another way to chase the dog off._ It was a risky plan, but it was the best plan he had. He sprinted at full speed down the narrow alley, taking the first left turn he could, jumping over crates and barrels that littered his path.

 _Maybe I can lose him in the crowd of Market Square._ It certainly seemed possible. He continued his escape straight ahead, often looking over his shoulder. Sure enough, there it was, the vicious cucco-eating monster, in full pursuit, saliva stringing out from its mouth as it ran.

 _He's gaining on me. But I'm almost to Market Square._ With new resolve, he tucked the fat cucco further under his arm, the bird replying with a distressed squawk, and he increased his pace. It wasn't long until he reached the marketplace, there was a sea of people, as it always was early in the morning. He pushed his ways past the crowed, making his way deeper into the tightly packed square, in hopes of deterring the scent the dog followed. He could still hear its loud barks and growls. He had made it near the center of the square, where there was a large fountain, his original plan being to climb unto the ledge of the fountain to gain a better viewpoint above the traffic of marketeers. Unfortunately, before he could reach the fountain he tripped on the pavement, hitting the ground hard, not having enough time to use his arm to soften his fall. He let go of the cucco that was tucked under his right arm, and it proceeded to cluck and squawk, walking closer to the fountain. The boy was dazed by his fall, and grimaced in pain, gritting his teeth. By the time he recovered he realized he had let go of the cucco, he looked up, searching for where it went. To his surprise, he saw a young girl run over and pick up the cucco, holding it close to her, as if trying to comfort the distressed animal. This girl was unlike any girl he had seen before. She had long golden hair, accompanied with vibrant green eyes. She wore a dress fitting of a princess, made of many shades of blue and gold. It was never a serious concern of his of what people looked like or what they wore before, especially girls, but _she_ was different. The girl searched the crowd, looking for the bird's owner. Her gaze met his. He couldn't help but remark to himself how pretty she was. Dread instantly dashed this thought; he could clearly hear the barking of the beast that perused him. He looked over his right shoulder. There is was, the dog. It stopped momentarily, first looking at him, then at the girl.

 _Uh oh. I have to do something, he'll attack that poor girl!_ This panicked thought plagued his mind. He knew he had to do something drastic, he wouldn't have time to reach the girl, and no one else seemed to notice what was going on, but maybe he could stop the dog before it reached the girl.

 _But how?_ he thought, but never had to chance to think of an answer. The dog had his sights set, it kicked off with its powerful hind legs, sprinting at full force directly towards the girl. Without thought for himself, he stood up and threw himself in the way of the dog. The beast leaped unto his chest, knocking him on his back, and felt the full weight of its paws on his chest. It was on top of him now, ready to clamp its teeth down on his neck. Luckily, he managed to grab the dog under the jaw with both hands, preventing it from reaching his neck. The dog viciously barked and snarled, saliva and foam spewing from its mouth. He barely had the strength to keep it inches from his face. He couldn't help but cry out a scream of fear, he could smell its sickly breath. Just when he thought the dog would overpower him, the dog whimpered and contorted its body to the side, rolling off him. He sat up on his arms and bottom, kicking back away from the dog.

 _It's dead?_ A spear was pierced through its side, and its owner quickly drew the spear out. It was a knight. Not just any knight however, the insignia on his helmet, and dark blue cape that flew behind him signified that he was member of the Royal Guard. _What is a knight of the royal guard doing in Market Square?_ He wondered. His thoughts quickly turned towards the young girl he saw earlier. He looked to his left, and there she was, still clinging unto the cucco; she looked worried, even scared.

"Kid! You okay?" The knight asked.

"Yeah… I think so," he replied. The crowed at this point was completely quiet, all gawking at the scene that had unfolded, forming a large circle. Somewhere within the crowed he heard a deep, commanding voice say,

"What is the meaning of this, what has happened?" Out of the crowd appeared a tall man. He was clearly out of his prime, his once bright golden hair now streaked with hairs of white and grey, but he still had a strong jaw and frame. He had a well-trimmed beard, also gold and white. He wore a brightly colored tunic and cape, and upon his head sat a simple but beautiful golden circlet. There was no mistaking it, _he_ was the king of Hyrule.

"This young boy here was attacked by this rabid dog" the Knight answered, first pointing at him, then to the dead body of the dog. The King turned his head, his intense gaze meeting his own.

 _I'm in REALLY big trouble now._ He thought to King took a few steps towards him, his heart was pounding, his throat was dry. A thousand thoughts were passing through his mind.

 _What is he going to say? Is he furious with me?_

"Are you all right?" the King asked in gentle voice. The King had knelt to his level, his intimidating gaze had softened now, his eyebrows were furrowed with concern.

"Yes… Yes sir," he replied after swallowing the lump in his throat.

"Good. Now, can you tell me what happened here?" The boy opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted by a small voice that called out,

"He saved me, father." He turned his head and saw that it was the young girl that had answered. She approached her father, the cucco still in her arms. "He was running away from that dog, holding this little cucco. When he tripped and dropped the poor thing I picked it up to return to him, then I saw that dog running to attack me… But _he_ jumped in front of me and stopped the dog!"

"Does this helpless cucco belong to you?" the King asked. The words were slow to come to him, but he eventually worked up the courage to say,

"No, it belongs to my neighbor, Mrs. Tamlin."

"And what were you doing with your neighbor's animal?" asked the King.

Before he could answer, a familiar voice interrupted, in a wavered and frail tone.

"He was protecting it from that vile beast, as he has always done for me." From the crowd emerged an elderly woman, who shuffled closer, slightly hunched over, from her long years of life and labor. Her hair was white as snow, and pulled back into a neat bun at the back of her head. She wore the traditional Sheikah attire, a robe of primarily white, with a hint of red and blue accents. "You must forgive me," she curtsied. "Your grace, I'm afraid it is because of my precious little cuccos that these events have come." She continued to walk closer to the young boy. "You see, I am very old, and it is hard to move around as I did in my youth. I recruited the help of this kind boy to act as a caretaker for my animals. He has always been such a kind and courageous lad, chasing off that dog every morning. I assure you he was only trying to help a poor old woman."

"I see." replied the King, a small smile escaping his lips.

"I'm very sorry, your grace. That mean old dog managed to break my trusty stick, I didn't have anything to chase him off with. When I tried to run inside the pen, he burst in and started to chase the cuccos. I was able to keep most of them safe, but he charged after poor little Gus here." he motioned towards the cucco. "All I could do was pick Gus up, and run. He chased me for a long time, I tried my best to lose him, but I ended up here. It is my fault that this happened, I am ready to face any punishment for my failure."

The King gave out a jovial laugh, "You have quite the flair for the dramatic. Come now my son, don't fear, you are not in any trouble. Although you may have been the reason that dog was here, you took responsibility for your actions and put yourself in danger to save my sweet daughter. It was a very courageous thing for you to do, you have my deepest gratitude." These words brought a wave of relief upon the young boy. "How old are you son?" the King asked.

"Ten, your grace." he replied.

"Ah! You are the same age as my daughter, Zelda."

 _What a nice name,_ he thought to himself. His eyes met hers, she smiled.

"And what is your name?" the King continued.

"Link, your grace."

Zelda let out a small gasp, "He shares your first name, father!"

"So he does." He replied, smiling at his endearing daughter.

"My father said that before my mother died, she wanted me to be named after the legendary hero of old. He used to tell me stories of the ancient spirit that would return to the world in the body of a Hylian boy, who, time and time again would fight back the Evil."

"I'm sorry for your loss," the King remarked. "My mother also wished that I be named after the same legendary hero when I was born." He smiled. "A funny coincidence, don't you think?" The King seemed deep in thought. After a moments pause he asked: "And what does your father do?"

"He's a blacksmith, your grace."

"A worthy profession. Does he work near here?"

"Yes! Just down the street." the boy responded politely.

"Come, take me to him, I wish to speak to him."

This proposition was an exciting one, and he quickly hopped up, dusting off his knees and hands.

 _I can't wait for father to meet the King!_ He was ecstatic. Zelda returned the now disgruntled Gus back to old Mrs. Tamlin, and she turned to return home, waving goodbye as Link led the King to his father's workshop.

"Goodbye Mrs. Tamlin, I'll see you tomorrow morning." he yelled.

"Bless you, sweetheart." she returned in her fragile voice.

"It's kind of you help her, not many children your age would set aside their play time to help an old lady." remarked the King.

"Mrs. Tamlin has always been very nice to me, I was more than happy that I could help take care of her cuccos. They are all she has left."

"But now she has you," Zelda added, with a bright smile.

It was a nice sentiment. The three continued their walk down the street from Market Square, two royal guardsmen following silently, but ever watchful.

"What do you want to be when you grow up, Link? Do you wish to be a blacksmith like your father?" the King asked.

"That's what my father wants." Link replied thoughtfully.

"But what do _you_ want to do?"

Link didn't hesitate to answer, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. "I want to be a knight of the Royal Guard!" it was always his dream to be a warrior.

The King chuckled, "I thought as much, and what does your father feel about your decision?"

"Well… I don't think he's very happy about it. I think he is scared that I'll be in danger, but that won't stop me."

"Every parent has a right to worry about their child." said the King.

"I suppose… But I've never wanted anything more than to be a knight." Link looked down, lost in thought.

The King smiled, "Well perhaps I can speak to your father about it. I'm sure I could help your cause."

"Really?!" Link could hardly believe it. He couldn't help but pick up his pace, to the verge of almost running down the street in excitement. It wasn't long until they reached their destination.

"Father! Father! I've brought guests!" Link shouted as he ran into the warm workshop. He reemerged, with his father in tow. His father was a tall, dark-haired man, arms like tree trunks from countless years of hammering hot metal. It was funny to see the stark contrast between the brown-eyed, dark-haired man, and his blue eyed, golden-haired son. Link's father chuckled as his son led him outside.

"What is it son, I have work to do ̶ " his jaw dropped when he saw the _guests_ his son had brought. He instantly bent down to one knee. "Forgive my King, I did not realize I would have a royal audience today."

"Do not worry, friend," the King stepped forward, placing a hand the fathers shoulder. "There is no cause for concern." The man stood up.

Link's father stumbled on his words a little, but regained composure. "And what may I assist you with, your grace, has my son gotten in trouble? I assure you he is a good and kind boy, it's just that his curiosity can get the best of him sometimes."

"On the contrary," began the King. "I have come to thank you for raising such a bright and courageous boy. If it weren't for his actions, I'm afraid a rabid dog would have attacked my daughter. He put his life at risk to stop the beast."

"Hylia alive!" exclaimed Link's father. He looked at Link, with a perplexed expression.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" asked the King

"Of course, your grace." he replied.

The King and Link's father took a few steps further towards the workshop, beginning a long-winded conversation.

"I never got to thank you for saving me, Link, I am forever in your debt!" Zelda had turned to face Link.

Link cleared his throat, he wanted to say something witty, but could only manage to say, "You're welcome, my lady"

"Please, just call me Zelda." She smiled. "If I may, what happened to your mother?"

Link paused, "My father said that she died not long after giving birth to me… I never got to really meet her."

"I'm very sorry to hear that." she said with a saddened expression.

"It's okay." He replied in a cheerful tone. It was an earnest attempt, but in truth, it was a reality that was not very pleasant to him.

Zelda could read it in his eyes, and promptly changed the subject. "So why do you want to be a knight?"

"well," he replied. "It is all I've ever wanted to do. I remember always seeing the knights practicing in the training yard, and all I could think was how exciting it looked. I would watch them for hours, study their steps, and techniques. I would try to practice with my trusty stick," _until it broke._ "Jonathan, my best friend, was the only person I could ever practice with. But he left to begin training last year, he's older than me by three years." Link paused, _I sure miss Jonathan,_ he thought to himself.

"Well, I hope you get to meet him again. Maybe you will be brothers-in-arms someday!" Zelda remarked in a cheerful tone, grinning. Link simply smiled in return.

Link and Zelda continued to speak for quite some time, it appeared their fathers were locked in a meaningful conversation. Zelda spoke of her mother, and life at the castle, then asked to hear more about Link's life.

"Link," called the King, the conversation between he and his father had ended. "I have spoken with your father, and he has agreed to allow you train as a knight of the Royal Guard."

Link gawked, "But I thought they only allowed boys that were at least twelve years old in."

"True, but I am willing to make an exception on your behalf, I believe that you will tag along just fine with boys slightly older than you. You are of course free to decline."

"Of course I'll join!" Link blurted out. _I can't believe it! This has been one of the strangest, and most exciting days of my life,_ he thought.

"Fantastic! There will be a new class beginning in a week, I will let Captain Kerrigan know that you will be joining them. Come to the training yard next Saturday morning. Do you know where that is?"

"I do, I go there regularly to watch the trainees." replied Link.

The King simply smiled at this. "Very well. I must thank you again Gerald," the King extended his hand to Link's father to shake it, "I promise to keep a close eye on him for you. I know he will excel in his class." The King and princess Zelda said their final goodbyes, and turned back down the street they had come from. Link waved at them as the turned the corner.

"You never cease to amaze me child!" Link's father said in a jesting tone.

"Are you mad that I won't be a blacksmith like you, father?" Link's father knelt to his level.

"Of course not. Although, I must admit, it hurts to think that. But if this is what you truly want, then I support you, through and through," he poked Link's heart with his finger, "I want you to be happy, Link." His eyes watered a little. Although he knew his son would be safe, the thought of seeing him leave his home behind tore at his heart.

Link jumped forward, wrapping his arms around his father, burying his face into his neck. "Thank you father, I promise I will always come and visit you as often as I can. I'll make you proud, I swear it."

They held their embrace, "I know you will, little lamb. If only your mother could see you now. She couldn't have been prouder." Links father fought hard to hold his tears back.


	2. Training Day

(Author note: Hey friends, thanks for reading and leaving your lovely reviews and feedback, it truly means a lot. Makes it all worth while. I will be updating regularly so keep an eye out. This chapter is a little shorter than the first, but it will pick back up soon! Thanks.)

 _Chapter two, Training Day_

It had been three long days since Link had last spoken to the King and his daughter, princess Zelda. Link found it hard to think about anything else.

 _What would training be like?_ he wondered. Link walked down the from the back door of his father's workshop, and down to Mrs. Tamlin's little cucco pen, as was his normal schedule. Taking care of the cuccos seemed like a boring task now, with the mean old dog gone, and the prospect of grand adventures yet to come ever present in his mind. _It just isn't the same now,_ he remarked. Regardless, Link carried out his regular duties as caretaker. _I suppose I will need to find a suitable replacement. Someone I could trust to take care of Mrs. Tamlin's animals. Maybe Ariel._ Ariel was the younger sister of Link's best friend, Jonathan. She had a bit of temperament, but it was mostly aimed at her brother, whenever he would tease her, but he was gone now. Other than that, she was a young and benevolent village girl, a perfect candidate to take his place as _caretaker._

He fed the cuccos, cutting back a little on Gus's portion, _he is getting to fat._ Link thought with a humored smile. Once that task was complete he ran a little further down the alley, to Jonathan and Ariel's home. He had been there hundreds of times, and walked right in the back door. It was a quaint little home, with a simple kitchen and dining table, with two bedrooms just up the stairs.

"Good morning Link," said Angela, Jonathan's mother, who was slaving away in the kitchen. She was making bread, she always did make some of the best bread. "I heard from you father that you are to begin training as a knight in the Kings guard."

"Yes! I could hardly believe it." Link replied.

She simply grinned at his reply, "I suppose you wish to talk to Ariel?"

"Yep. Since I'll be leaving soon for training, I need to find someone to look after Mrs. Tamlin's cuccos."

"She is upstairs, go ahead on up." Angela returned to her work, kneading away.

"Ariel?" Link said, sticking his head through the open door of the bedroom.

"Hello." Ariel said, pulling her attention from her little straw doll. She always had it with her.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"Like what?" she replied, with a smile.

"As you know, since I'll be leaving to train soon, I need someone to take my place in caring for Mrs. Tamlin's cuccos. I was hoping that you would."

"I've never taken care of cuccos before." she insisted.

"That's okay, I still have a few days before I leave, I can show you what to do."

Ariel thought about it for a moment. "Okay, I'll do it." she nodded her head up and down.

"Thank you. Meet me at Mrs. Tamlin's pen tomorrow morning, I'll show you what to do."

"Okay. I'll see you later."

 _Perfect. That's one less thing to worry about._ Link ran back downstairs, and thanked Angela, leaving through the back door.

Showing Ariel what to do was simple. All she had to do was make sure the cuccos were happy, fed, and had a clean pen to walk around in. She struggled a little to carry the heavy bucket of feed around, but she assured Link that she would be fine. Link shadowed her the next day to confirm that Ariel remembered all of her new duties, she performed well.

"Thank you again, Ariel. It means a lot to me. And to Mrs. Tamlin."

"No problem." Ariel usually kept her replies simple, she was always a late bloomer in regard to speech.

Saturday had finally come. Link barely slept the night before, but that didn't slow him down at all, he was running on adrenaline now.

"Link, I'll walk with you to the training yard, and see you off." stated Link's father.

"Okay, father!" he replied.

It was about a fifteen-minute walk to the training yard from their home, one that Link had made many times, he knew the streets like the back of his hand.

"Now, remember what I have always told you is most important, Link."

"Honesty, kindness, and courage." His father had told him countless times, Link always took it to heart.

"Yes. You must always be honest, even when it hurts, be kind, even to those who openly mock you, and most of all, you must have courage, courage to do what is right."

"I will, I promise." he replied, looking up at his father.

It wasn't long until they made it to the training yard, on the eastern side of the castle wall. Already there were other parents, and their young boys, all crowding around the yard. There was a line forming, at the start of it was a table, and there sat a stalwart looking knight.

 _That must be Captain Kerrigan,_ Link thought to himself. They waited at the back of the line, until it was their turn. Link could now see the rugged captain in much more detail. He had short brown hair, a wide nose, and a scar that ran from his left cheekbone, down to his lip.

"And what is your name?" the captain asked, looking at Link's father.

"Gerald, and this is my son, Link."

"Ah. So, you are the boy the King had told me about. I am Captain Kerrigan. Are you sure you are up to the task? You are quite a bit younger… and smaller than the rest of the recruits." As he said this, he eyed Link up and down.

"Yes sir, I'm sure of it." Link was quick and to the point.

The captain smiled to one side. "Very well, I will record your name. You may go join the other recruits in the yard, you of course may say your goodbyes first." Captain Kerrigan said these words in a tone that was not unkind, but rather more rehearsed, it was clear he had done this many time before. Link and his father stepped to the side, allowing the people behind them to continue.

"Well, I guess this is it." Link's father was knelt down. The words came hard for him, but he maintained his cool composure.

"I won't be gone forever, I'll visit as often as I can."

"I know," he sighed. "But no time like the present eh?" Link's father said in a forced cheery tone. They embraced one last time, saying their final goodbye and Link turned, running to the small crowd of young boys on the yard. They waited there silently for quite some time, as the final new recruits sauntered in. Link felt small, everyone was taller, and bigger than he was. It didn't intimidate him, but at the same time he couldn't deny the reality that he would be at a severe disadvantage, on account of his size. He recognized some of the other boys in the group, he had seen them before in his many travels about the city. They paid no attention to him.

"Listen up!" shouted Captain Kerrigan, his business now complete. "Each one of you his here for one purpose now. To train, and to earn the title of Soldiers. Some of you may even train further, and become members of the esteemed Royal Guard." He paused, walking slowly, hands behind him. "But until then, you are recruits, and _you_ will follow my every order." His words were full of power, this wasn't a man simply throwing his weight around, this was a man made of sterner stuff, to be respected and obeyed. "In time, the King will make his appearance, and greet you as new recruits. You will show him the proper respect by forming rows and columns, and stand at attention… Now, fall in."

 _Fall in._ Link had heard this term before. When he would watch the other trainees, the captain would yell "fall in." and they would all step into a formation, perfectly squared away, standing at attention. Link ran to the front of the group, aligning himself left-of-center of the yard, and stood at his best attempt of _attention._ The other boys were slow to follow, but clumsily began to achieve a formation that barely resembled a squadron. Captain Kerrigan eyed Link, squinting his eyes, simply grunting.

"A poor excuse for a formation, but we will work on that." Captain Kerrigan spent the next few minutes adjusting each recruit so that there was an arm's length between each one of them. "From now on, when I command 'fall in,' I want you to form up in this exact manner, and stand at attention, don't be looking around, or moving. You will stand as still as stone, understood?"

"Yes sir." the group replied, but not all at once, and very quiet.

"I said, do you understand!?"

"Yes sir!" This time they said it in unison, and much louder.

"Good."

The King entered the training yard on a bright white horse. He dismounted and greeted Captain Kerrigan with a firm handshake. It was apparent they were close friends. After exchanging a few words, the King turned to address the recruits.

"Good morning, recruits. As I'm sure Captain Kerrigan has already told you, today you will begin your training to become the protectors of the kingdom. This is of course a demanding responsibility, one that only the strong dare to take on. It will be no small task, but Captain Kerrigan is one of my finest leaders, and will have you shaped up in no time." He paused for a moment, looking at several recruits in the eye. He looked directly at Link, and gave a small nod of acknowledgement. "I will not drag on too long, but I want to personally extend my thanks to each and every one of you, and hopefully instill a feeling of importance and purpose. Nearly one-hundred and forty years ago marked the initial attack of Calamity Ganon. That monster had utterly destroyed our kingdom. It was in this critical moment that I failed my duty as the Chosen Hero, and fell in battle; being forced to a century long slumber trapped in the Shrine of Resurrection. If it weren't for the actions of your queen, the world would have been destroyed. Thankfully, the goddess brought great fortune upon us, and we were allowed a second chance to fight back one-hundred years later. It is because of the queen's immense strength and dedication that we could finally seal the beast away, allowing our kingdom to rebuild and flourish." He paused. "Here we stand, a mere forty years after the fall of Ganon, in a young and prosperous kingdom." Link and the other recruits knew this story to their core, it was a centerpiece of pride for the Hylian people. "It is our sacred duty as watchmen of our kingdom to insure the safety of the realm. I stand before you to ask that you dedicate yourself to this cause, not for personal gain, or for glory, but for a love for this kingdom, and all of its inhabitants. For if we should fail, innocence is the first to suffer at the hands of evil." These words stirred within Link, he had never heard someone speak with such patriotism.

 _I will, whatever it takes._ Link couldn't fully grasp this new feeling, all he knew is that he would now do anything to serve his kingdom. He felt as if something within himself was driving him to this decision, it just felt right.

"Thank you, gentlemen. I will now leave you in the capable hands of Captain Kerrigan." He turned to face the captain, and dipped his head. After mounting his horse, he returned in the direction he had come from. Captain Kerrigan resumed command.

"That speech never gets old," he chuckled. "it's about time that you are taken to the barracks, it will be home to you for the next few years, from there you will be given your uniform." Captain Kerrigan split their formation by row, sending each one to a different barrack. Link's row was first to go, they followed their appointed instructor to their new _home,_ which was a dimly lit room, each walled lined with beds, it smelled musty. It wasn't exactly what Link thought it would be like, but he would make the best of it. After walking further down the isle of beds, Link found a one that seemed to be unclaimed. He noted its placement in the order of beds.

 _Fourth form the back,_ he counted. Shortly after, the same instructor that had escorted them to their new quarters shouted to form a single file line. He had pulled a large cart up next to the door, it seemed to have bundles of clothing in it.

"Line up, and I will give you your uniform based on size and height." shouted the instructor. Link waited patiently in line. When he reached the front the instructor simply chuckled in a condescending tone. "I don't think we have one small enough for you, you will have to make do with the smallest one we have." He scavenged his cart, pulling something from the bottom, and handed link a folded up dark blue tunic and a white shirt. Along with it came a pair of brown pants, and a small leather belt. "Change into these, and throw your old clothes in that crate over there." Link quickly ran back to his bed, putting on the new shirt, pants, and tunic.

 _Uh oh._ Link realized something, his new pants were much too large for him, he couldn't keep them on his hips. His tunic wasn't any better either, it nearly swallowed him whole. He took the small leather belt he had been given, and cinched it down tightly. There weren't enough holes, so he simply tied the lose end around. _I hope I don't lose my pants while training._ In a small way, it was rather funny to him, but then considered how embarrassing it would be if _did_ lose his pants; he was determined to prevent that from happening. As he was making his last adjustments he saw one of the other recruits looking at him, the red-haired piggish looking boy snickered a little.

"Did they really not have any smaller sizes?" he asked.

"No." the tips of his ears burned red.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but it is a little funny you have to admit," the boy waited for a response, which he didn't receive. "My name is Dan." Dan had approached Link with his hand out.

"Link, its Link." he shook his hand.

"You have the same name as the King? Is that even allowed?" Dan asked, with skepticism in his voice.

"I don't. My mother named me after the ancient Legendary Hero."

"I don't know, seems strange to me." Dan replied.

Before he could respond, the instructor shouted out, "You have five minutes to be dressed and back outside in formation."

Link ran back out into the yard, trying his best to stop his pants from sliding down. The rest of the recruits poured out, and assumed their same positions as earlier. Captain Kerrigan emerged from his office from the easternmost section of the training yard.

"Recruits, attention!" the recruits stiffened their backs, bringing their feet together. "Now, I don't know what preconceived notions you all have what your training will be like, but I assure you, you will find out shortly. But before you even think about training with weapons, you will first learn to assemble, march, and move as a well-oiled machine. You will learn to move as one, follow orders as one, and most importantly you will be a still as the grave when I tell you to be. It will not be easy, I can promise you this, but listen well, and you will find success."

Captain Kerrigan began barking orders, instructing in meticulous detail exactly how to stand at attention, to turn left and right in unison, and to march in perfect harmony. They marched around the training yard for what seemed like an eternity, without breaks. When the recruits would fail, or would fall off cadence, Captain Kerrigan would raise his voice even louder, screaming at them until they were back into order. The sun was setting by the time they stopped, its golden rays barely peaking over the outer castle wall.

"We will continue to practice your marching at a later time, it will be the first thing you will master, until it is second nature to you. For now, your dinner will be served in the dining hall, from there you will march off to your beds. We start bright and early tomorrow. You are dismissed." Link's feet hurt, but he felt well achieved. He managed to stay on beat for nearly the whole march, only stumbling twice, but regardless, he was ready to eat.

"I thought we'd never stop, I can't wait to eat, I'm starving" Dan said in a quiet voice, looking down at his grumbling stomach.

Link and the other recruits didn't say much to each other during dinner, they were all to hungry to talk, too focused on their meal. Dan had finished his faster than anyone, and asked Link if he could have any of his food that was left over.

"If you keep trying to eat my food you'll grow to fat, and your uniform will burst at the seams." Link jested, trying to keep a straight face. Dan squinted his beady little eyes for a moment, but then started to laugh.

"Then I guess I'll be too fat for my uniform, and you will never grow into yours." Dan laughed again.

"I'm sure I'll grow into it eventually." Link replied, with a mouth full of food.

The recruits marched back to their barracks first thing after dinner, and settled in for the night. Two recruits were selected at random to stand as watchmen for the night in alternating shifts, they certainly weren't happy about it, but didn't dare say so. Their barrack instructor performed a last-minute check, then left, closing the door behind him. The only light in the room was from the moon, piercing through the small windows of their barracks. Link swiftly drifted to into sleep.

 _I wonder if I'll see Zelda again, I would like to talk to her again._


	3. Trust Worthy Friends

Author note: Hello again, as always, thank you for the feedback! I appreciate it a ton! Anyways, if you click on this link (no pun intended) myforums/WrittenInBold/9626086/ you will be taken to the discussion forum for this story, it will have a place where you can have general conversations, as well as a Q&A section. Please, if you have any questions or interests, let me know in the Q&A, I will check it regularly and respond as best as I can. Thanks, and enjoy!

- _ **Written In Bold**_

 _Chapter three, Trust Worthy Friends_

The trainees were easy to see from the stone walkway that overlooked the training yard. They were scattered into groups of two, sparring with their designated partner, honing their swordsmanship, with blunt practice swords of course. Link was among them, _he certainly has grown into that oversized tunic,_ the King chuckled to himself. It was true, in just one short year and a half, Link had grown by at least two inches, maybe more, maybe less; it didn't really matter. Link was taller and broader than he was when he had first met him in Market Square. His eyes shone a bright pale blue in the morning light, long golden hair falling just above his brow. His sparring partner was much larger than him, as was most of the trainees, but this by no means seemed to slow Link down. True, he couldn't match the overall strength of his comrades, not yet at least, but what he lacked in strength he made up for in speed, and intelligence. Captain Kerrigan would update the King on Links progress in training regularly, as he had been requested to do. " _There is something different about this boy. I can't put my finger on it. Although he is but a paper weight compared to the other trainees, he has managed to earn himself quite the reputation as a fighter, even when he loses."_ The captain's words replayed in his mind. " _strength does not always determine the victor, captain. Link has a spirit of tenacity, don't you think?" "That he does. I don't claim to know what you saw in this boy, but it seems your gut feeling has led us to an important discovery of talent."_ These words rang louder in the Kings head. In truth, this _discovery_ had been the cause of many restless nights for the King. He could not pin his finger on the matter, it was without a doubt a courageous thing Link had done when he saved his daughter from that rabid dog in the market place, but there was more to it. An underlying tone. A tone, or eerie feeling, he wasn't sure. When he looked into Links eyes, there was something all too familiar looking back at him. It felt like a premonition of something to come. He wanted to deny it, but couldn't bring himself to dismiss the thought.

"You always were good at brooding," called a sweet voice. The King turned his head away from the training yard, to address his wife. She was wearing her usual outing dress, a simple blue and flowing gown, a warm jacket wrapped around her. It was his favorite outfit, she always was stunning in everything she wore of course, but this dress was always reminiscent of their younger days together, memories he cherished deeply.

"And you were always good at shortening my breaths." he replied flirtatiously.

"And what could you mean by that I wonder?" she replied sarcastically, in good humor. The King only laughed in response. "What occupies your mind?" the Queen asked.

The King sighed. "Do you find it to been an odd coincidence?"

"find what to be an odd coincidence?"

"That _he_ would share my name?" the King tilted his head towards the training yard, she knew exactly of who he spoke of.

"I suppose it could be, but it is not entirely uncommon that parents would name their children after the heroes of old, you are a prime example of that."

"Yes, but I was chosen to take on that mantle of 'Hero.'" he replied.

"True. Although I've never heard of two Chosen Heroes existing simultaneously. I have found many records that indicated that the Hero of Time remained in spirit form to mentor his descendant. But I never heard of two living in one life time." The Queens voice had dropped deeper, and quieter.

The King sighed, "And that is what I fear. Could _It_ return so soon?" he was lost in thought.

"I'm sure it will become clearer with time."

"I hope." his gaze didn't move.

After a moment of silence, the Queen wrapped her arm around his saying, "Come on, Zelda is waiting for us."

"Do you think Zelda would like to visit the training yard?" the King asked his wife as they walked back to the courtyard together.

"And have a chance to see Link? She would jump on that opportunity in a heartbeat."

The King chuckled, "I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to speak to him, not while they are training."

"As if that would change her mind. She's quite taken up with him you know." she said. The King coughed loudly in defiance.

"Come now, is that really such a bad thing?" the Queen asked, grinning.

"Well… ehm. No, but ̶ "

"But what?" she insisted.

"Nothing. He's a good boy, but also just that; a boy."

"What does that have to do with anything?" she asked turning her body towards him as they walked.

"Everything, dear. I know how their minds work." he replied with furrowed eyebrows.

"So?"

"You would have slapped me across the top of my head if you knew my mind as a young man." he laughed.

"Oh stop, or I'll slap you across the head now, king or no king. At any rate, you were much quieter then, how could I have known your mind?" she squeezed his arm tighter with these words, a smile on her lips. They reached the lower courtyard, Zelda was there, dressed in a warm coat to combat the unusually cold weather. She was feeding her small white horse an apple, she liked to spoil her little steed.

The King called out to her, "Zelda, would you like to visit the training yard on our outing today?"

Her jaw dropped, with a great big grin, "Yes, of course!" She quickly ran to the side of her horse, and began to clamber up. One of the Royal Guards stepped forward to help her the rest of the way up, but she managed on her own just fine. The training yard was a short trot away, the trainees were still perfecting their footwork. As the royal entourage approached the training yard, Captain Kerrigan shouted at the trainees to fall in, and stand at attention. After well over a year of training, they had this procedure down to an art, forming perfect rows and columns.

"And what do I owe this honor to, your grace?" Captain Kerrigan bowed.

"We were about to go on our usual outing, and thought that we would drop in and see how your trainees are faring."

"Of course." the captain turned to the Queen, "My Queen, it is good to see you. And you as well, Princess."

"As it is good to see you, Captain Kerrigan." She replied bowing her head. They dismounted and walked onto the field.

"At ease gentlemen," the King said, facing the trainees. In perfect unison, the trainees moved their right foot out to a shoulders width, placing their hands behind their back. They were free to move their heads from this position. The King walked over to speak with some of the recruits, asking them simple questions like " _how goes your training?"_ and _"how are you?"_ They all had similar responses, all positive, even if they didn't really feel that way. The King continued speaking with the trainees, eventually coming to face Link.

"Link, how are you? It seems you grow a foot taller every day."

"I am good, your grace." Link replied, a short answer.

"Is training all you hoped it would be?"

Link's eyes lit up "Even better, your grace." Link smiled simply.

"Good, and how is your father? Are you able to visit him often?"

"He is well, your grace. Although he often complains of chest pain, but it is nothing serious."

As they spoke, Zelda had walked over, taking her place next to her father. "Hello Link. It is good to see you again, it has been a cold autumn since we last spoke." Link moved his eyes from the King to her.

"Hello, Princess. I am glad to see you again." Link could feel the other trainee's eyes upon him, he wondered what they thought of his _special attention._ He wanted to say more, anything, but held his tongue. He thought it would look presumptuous to do so. Memories of their late-night escapes flashed back into his mind, she looked so beautiful under the moonlight. How much trouble he would have been in if they had been caught, but he thought the risk was worth it.

"What is your current focus on in their training, captain?" the King had turned to address Captain Kerrigan.

"Sparring, and utilizing proper foot movement to press advantages." the captain replied.

"I should like to like to see their progress up close, only if you have time of course."

"Certainly, your grace," Captain Kerrigan commanded the trainees to resume their sparing practice. Although none of them outwardly expressed it, their nerves were put on edge; they would have to fight with a royal audience. Link and his sparring partner, Dan, who had become quite a close friend, spread out, and took their stances. Before they resumed their practice however, one of the other recruits leaned in and said to Dan,

"Trade places with me. I will practice with Link." Dan seemed confused by this, but didn't want to make a scene by protesting. Dan nodded, and traded partners. The trainee that took his place was the tallest of the whole company. Link had fought him once before, which resulted in a bloody nose and headache, for both, although technically Link had lost their duel. Link was determined not to let this happen again, but knew his chances were slim, it had been quite some time since he last fought Craig.

 _He probably wants to show off. He knows he can beat me, or thinks that, but maybe I can outsmart him._ Link knew that in a test of strength he would surely lose, but he was still faster by comparison. Craig always swung his sword harder than necessary, wasting a lot of his energy, that was his weak point. _I'll try to tire him out first, and attack when his guard is too slow._ The two took their stances, feet wide apart, sword up as they had been instructed to do. Craig was of course first to strike, Link quickly raised his sword up to block the horizontal strike, it nearly knocked him off balance. He wouldn't be able to block like that for long, instead he had to focus on simply deflecting, or diverting his strikes, it spread out the force more evenly, making it easier to manage. Craig continued his advances, Link deflected a few, and dodged the rest. Craig's attacks slowed a little, he knew he was wasting energy. Before Craig could recollect himself, Link went on the offensive, swinging fast, alternating between high and low strikes, hoping to outpace his opponent. When Craig failed to guard an opening on his right side, Link swung his sword back around and struck him in the ribs, harder than he meant to. Craig looked pissed. They began their second fight, Craig was even more aggressive that the last time, Link sought to use this to his advantage. Like clockwork, Link would deflect and dodge, and Craig would tire himself out by his wild thrashing. Link would strike at his weak points, but softer than before; he didn't want to hurt him _to_ bad, only a little. With each successful strike, Craig's face grew angrier, and redder. Craig changed his stance, stepping forward as he blocked one of Link's attacks, he let go with his left hand and punched Link square in the jaw, smugly smiling after he did it. It stung, but wasn't too bad.

"We are not practicing hand-to-hand combat right now," Captain Kerrigan barked, seeing from a distance what Craig did. "You will learn to control yourself." Link took a moment to get his head straight. _What a cheap shot, but I guess in a real fight it should be expected._ Link and Craig took their stances again. This time Link struck first, attacking high and low as he did before, but Craig keep his sword close, so that he could move it faster. They exchanged blows, neither one gaining an advantage, until Craig jabbed at Links stomach, Link deflected it to his right side, pivoting on his left foot. He continued his rotation, kicking his right leg around, sweeping Craig of his feet, Craig landed hard on his back. It was risky, exposing his backside, but it worked, before Craig could jump back up, Link had pointed his sword at his fallen foe, cherishing his moment of victory.

"You got lucky." Craig insisted.

 _And you took a cheap shot._ Link wanted to say it, but decided against it, remembering his promise to his father to be kind. Link held out his hand to help Craig up, which was promptly denied. _Suit yourself,_ he thought. Link walked back to retake his position, readying his stance, when he noticed that not only was Captain Kerrigan intently watching him, but also the King, Queen, and even Zelda, who tried to hide her smile. _Have they been watching this whole time?_ He wasn't sure how to feel about it. A tinge of pride hit his heart, but he corrected himself, his father would have boxed his ears for being vain. Vanity was his fathers most despised trait, and let Link know on more than one occasion. It was odd, the King looked as if he was in a trance of thought. What was going through his mind, Link wondered. Craig traded back spots with Dan after his embarrassing defeat, and they continued their training. The King thanked Captain Kerrigan for taking time out of their training. They shook hands, and then the royal entourage took their leave, Zelda looked back at Link as they left. The trainees continued their sparring practice for an hour longer, then began their classes. These classes consisted primarily of history and military strategy, but also included some basic mathematics. Link usually lost interest by the time their mathematics class rolled in, but he still made sure he at least tried to retain the key elements of their lessons. After their morning classes, they marched to the dining hall.

"What makes you so special, huh?" Craig asked in a bullish tone, referring to Link's special attention he had received earlier that morning. Link didn't answer, only shrugged his shoulders.

"Perhaps it's because he beat someone almost a foot taller, and two years older than him. And not just beat, but made a fool of them." Dan interjected, standing up for Link.

"Shut up Pugsbee," that was the nickname the other trainees had given Dan, poking fun at his indulgent eating habit and flat face.

"Whatever you say, Craig." Dan replied sarcastically. He had grown accustom to the name, it didn't really bother him all that much.

"Besides, you got lucky that last time. It was dumb of you to expose your backside like that, if your luck hadn't held out I would've hit you right in the back." Craig spoke with a mouthful of food. Again, Link didn't grace his statement with an answer. "Do you ever say anything more than three words? I seem to recall you wouldn't shut up when you first got here."

"Maybe I've found that it's better to only respond to questions that are worth answering." Link replied, nonchalantly.

Craig only scoffed at this, "So you've grown snobbish too. We're all to below your 'level' to speak to. How asinine." Craig left it at that, turning to away to talk to his small group of _friends._

Link thought about it for a moment. _I suppose that's one interpretation._ In truth, his recent silence had been caused by stress and pressure. Captain Kerrigan always seemed to push him harder than any of the other trainees. He would place him against the largest and toughest trainees when they would spar, or give him the wildest horse when they would train on horseback. For every activity, every exercise, Captain Kerrigan would bear down on him the hardest, demanding absolute perfection, forced him to repeat his task until it was achieved to perfection. Did Captain Kerrigan despise him? He couldn't say for sure. All he could do was try his hardest, and get back up every time he fell. He recalled once when they were practicing their archery, a skill that Link was admittedly lacking in, he missed three arrows in a row. Captain Kerrigan bore down in a fury of words, and commanded him to continue practicing archery while the other trainees ate dinner. Link would have to go without eating, as he stood in the training yard, firing arrow after arrow into the straw targets. It was miserably cold that day, his fingers felt like they would freeze and fall off. In the captain's defense, Link had finally learned how to hit is target with precision, but it was a hard and cold lesson. Dan was kind enough to smuggle a small loaf of bread to the barracks, which sustained Link until morning. Dan had been a real friend, if there was anyone he could trust in the company, it was him. Most of the other trainees would tease him for his pugish features, which he took quite well on the chin, but Link couldn't have cared less what he looked like. Dan had his back, and he had Dan's. It would be one of the lucky days when Captain Kerrigan would allow them to spar together. More important than anything else however, is that he knew Dan would keep his secret, he said he would take it to the grave. Dan was the only other soul that knew Link had snuck out of the barracks on several occasions to visit Zelda. Link made him promise he wouldn't tell, he would only sneak out when he knew Dan was on guard duty. Although Link had seen Zelda in public more than once, it was always restrained, much like it was earlier that day. Their late-night rendezvous were the only times that they could truly be free to talk. They would talk about anything and everything, their likes, dislikes, dreams, aspirations. Link recalled when Zelda told him about her favorite flower, the Silent Princess. It was a beautiful flower to behold, pure white, a light blue stemming from its center. She explained that it was her mother's favorite flower as well. Link had only seen the Queen a handful of times, but never had to chance to speak to her. But from everything he saw, Zelda was a mirror image of her mother, the same vibrant green eyes, golden hair, and a warm smile. Link found that she was on the forefront of his mind all the time. Unless he was working to achieve a specific goal, his mind would drift back to thoughts of her. He had never felt this way about someone before, he found to be embarrassing to admit, even if it was just to himself. The tips of his ears would burn, and turn red.

"Link. Link… Link!" Link snapped out of his trance. Dan looked at him, "You're doing it again, that thousand-yard stare. It's almost time to go."

"Sorry." _I have to stop doing that,_ he reluctantly thought to himself. After lunch, the trainees would usually go back into the yard to practice their archery, or something along those lines, but today was out of the norm.

"Today we're doing something a little different. I will be taking you up to the castle wall, where I will walk you through to view some of the crucial equipment and weapons we have stationed on the walls. Some of you, once you graduated, will be tasked with manning and caring for this equipment, so it is important you all learn to use it." Captain Kerrigan marched his trainees to south gatehouse, from there up the ladders and onto the battlements. Link could see Castle Town below, it seemed so small from up there. "Now, these contraptions are called Ballista's, and they are used to fire these large bolts." Captain Kerrigan pulled out a large rod from a wooden crate, it was two inches wide, and about four feet in length, it was a monstrous arrow. "The operator turns this crank in order draw back tension on the arms, much like you would draw back a bow. Then once it is locked into place you place the bolt in the chamber and pull this lever to release it." They met with some of the soldiers that were tasked with the upkeep of these weapons, and the trainees asked them question after question. It was certainly impressive, but Link found it to be slightly uninteresting. He preferred swords to these machines. The company continued their walk along the wall, inspecting and learning. There were also great trebuchets, which Captain Kerrigan remarked had luckily never needed to be used.

"Do you think it could launch a person?" Dan whispered in Link's ear.

Link chuckled a little, "I suppose, but I doubt you could survive it."

"It would be fun while it lasted."

This new daily pattern continued. After lunch, every day the company would march to the wall, and learn more about how to operate and care for these machines of war. Link remembered hearing about ancient machines that could inflict even more damage than these new ones. Great mechanical beasts that could roam the land, freely with a mind of its own. Unfortunately, those ancient Sheikah technological wonders had all become but a faded memory, a lost cause, although their influence could still be traced. _I wonder if they will ever come back,_ he thought.

This thought also faded away. A new occurrence had begun to tug at Link's mind; nightmares. Link had had them before, when he was younger, but it was nothing like this. In these dreams, terrifying images would flash before his eye: a sea of countless dead bodies, he could feel the soft blood-soaked soil between his fingers, gasping for breath. Strange beings surrounded him, their faces concealed in a veil of darkness. A sharp pain grew in his chest, it penetrated deep, could it be the cause of his short and failing breaths? A muffled voice screamed out to him, but it was drowned out by a high-pitched ringing that made him scratch at his ears, wallowing in pain. At the end of it all, there was nothing. Darkness surrounded him, he was alone, afraid. He would wake from these terrors in the night, sweat beading down his forehead, gasping for air. Whoever would be on guard duty that night would often wake him, concerned for his wellbeing. He would apologize, and slowly drift back to sleep. He never told anyone about his dreams, excusing it as mere restlessness, but deep down he knew something wasn't right.

 _I wonder if Zelda would know what these dreams mean. But I shouldn't concern her with it._


	4. A Shattered State

Again, thank you all for the reviews and comments, I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's the longest one yet! Cant wait!

Forum for discussion and Q&A: myforums/WrittenInBold/9626086/

 **-Written In Bold**

 _Chapter Four, A Shattered State_

Link's father was looking more haggard than he remembered. Then of course, he rarely saw his father in the last five years of training, his graduation was fast approaching. Link tried to keep true to his word, and would visit his father as often as possible, but it became increasingly harder to find time away from his training. Captain Kerrigan expected so much from Link, he had entrusted him with an important role within his company, promoting him to be the Company Lead. He worked as the intermediate between Captain Kerrigan and the rest of the company, relaying orders and organizing training.

"So, what is it like, being the Company Lead?" his father asked.

"It hard but rewarding work. Harder still was trying to earn the respect of the other trainees. I don't think they enjoyed the idea of being ordered around by someone two years younger than them."

His father chuckled, "I suppose they wouldn't. But they respect you now?"

"For the most part. I had plenty of opportunities to prove myself. Although a few are still very reluctant to follow." Link replied.

"I'm sure with time the will come around." His father stood up stiffly from their small dining table that was situated in the corner of their kitchen, coughing loudly as he walked to a small basin of water on the counter to clean his hands.

"Have you been all right, father? Your cough hasn't gone away." Concern tinged Link's voice, it didn't sound like a simple cold; it sounded so harsh, painful even.

"Yes, it's been rather miserable with this confounded cough, but I suppose that's how aging goes." His father smiled smartly at him.

Link laughed a little, "You're not that old yet," _not yet._ "I could arrange for you to meet a physician. We have a dedicated one at the training yard that I'm sure would be happy to take a look at it."

"Ah, don't concern yourself with it. It comes and goes with the weather, nothing serious ever comes from it."

"Well, please don't hesitate to ask me if it worsens, okay?" _he always was stubborn,_ Link thought.

"Yes yes, don't worry about me, I've made it this far in life, I think I can handle a measly cough." Gerald retuned to the table and sat down, sighing as he plopped down. "So, have you talked with the Princess any?"

Link thought it strange that he would hone in on her specifically at random. "Yes, on several occasions." he trailed off. His mind flashed back to their last secret meeting under the cool of the night.

"And?" his father continued.

"She's well. Very busy with her training." Zelda had begun training with her mother, learning to control the sealing powers passed down through their bloodline when she turned fourteen.

"Hm." Link could tell there was something more to his father's questions. "That is good to hear, she seemed like a sweet girl when I first met her."

"Yes, indeed. She is very kind and generous, in my experience." Link's father arched his eyebrow at this response, he knew there was some a smart comment imminent.

"In your experience, eh?" his father leaned in a little, grinning.

 _Yep, there it is._ "Yes," he could tell his father was trying to glean more information from his response. "in my experience."

"Hm," his father grunted again. "And what of the King and Queen?" Link was glad he dropped his previous nonsense.

"As far as I can tell they are well. The King will still occasionally visit the training yard, touching up on our progress. I don't see much of the Queen, I suppose she has other important things to look into."

"Has the King maintained his special interest in you?"

"Yes, he has. As a matter of fact, that is the reason some of the other trainees still dislike me. They seem to think I am undeserving of this attention. Sometimes I feel inclined to agree." That was another thing that began to pester his mind; self-doubt.

"Horseshit," interjected his father, this response shocked Link to say the least. "You saved his daughter those short five years ago, as a mere boy, of course he would pay you special attention. The other trainees are simply jealous." Link couldn't help but laugh, he never heard his father speak so rashly before. Perhaps his father was aging faster than he thought, his hair had turned almost entirely gray, but he still had his dark eyebrows.

"I suppose that is one way to look at it." he chirped. Maybe the idea had more merit to it than he anticipated. There was a long silence, his father gazed at his son, as if trying to see inside his head.

"You grow to be more like your mother every time I see you." An odd thing to say, out of the blue _,_ Link thought. "You have her eyes, her hair. The way you talk and think call back memories I thought I had forgotten." his father looked away, viewing the world outside the kitchen window. "You never had the chance to meet your mother, not _really,_ and yet you are a spitting image of her. Not a day goes by that I don't wish you could have truly met her, to watch her move gracefully, to hear her sing her soft lullabies." His eyes returned to his son. This revelation hit Link hard. He felt his heart sink to his stomach. Although he always tried to bury the thought, all he had ever wanted as a boy was to meet his mother. His father continued, his voice wavering, "I lost her, the only one I ever loved. I was destroyed. But you, a small helpless child, born so much earlier than expected, gave me more courage, more will to live on than I had ever thought possible. In a way, her courage, the strength I had always clung to, lives on through you. She would've been so proud of you." Link's throat felt dry, in opposition to his eyes watering. His father's words haunted him; he felt so small, so immature. He had never experienced loss like that before, to lose someone he loved that deeply, and it humbled his heart. All the tragedy he had ever experienced in his lifetime seemed dwarfed in comparison.

 _How petty of me to think any of my insignificant, childish losses truly mattered, they were merely inconveniences,_ he cursed.

"I remember the day when you were born, she was so faint; she had lost so much blood," he struggled a little. "I was helpless to stop it, but through it all, all she wanted was to see you. When she held you in her arms…" He shuttered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I will never forget the words that she softly spoke to you: 'hush my little lamb. I have you. Stay strong, and have courage; your father will take good care of you.'" A single tear plummeted from his father's eye, what Link saw and heard tore at his core. "Honesty, kindness, and courage. Those were the words she often repeated, the traits she wished you would live by."

Link couldn't respond, he was emotionally wrecked, shocked by how quickly it had come. He couldn't hold back his sobs, tears welling up in his blue eyes. He finally managed to say through his shattered state: "I will… I promise."

"Good."

It was hard to say goodbye. After all that. However, Link only had a small timeframe that he could slip away for. He embraced his father before leaving, walking up the stone streets of his childhood. Five years wasn't that long, but to Link, it felt like a bygone age. He doubted he would have recognized his former self. The conversation he had with his father echoed in his head. How could he ever hope to make his mother proud, to live up to her dying wishes? He cursed himself, thinking on every moment of failure, every moment of weakness. Everything around him seemed to fade away, he paid no attention to the people that brushed past him, some gawking back at his absentmindedness. The hard cobblestone beneath his feet being the only indication of anchorage to the world he had. Link had asked his father about his mother's death before, when he was much younger. His father only gave simple responses, nothing to the extent that he had then. _Maybe he wanted to spare me the painful details. Or maybe he couldn't find the strength to tell me._ At any rate, all Link wanted to do was lay down and curl up, and wait out the storm that ravaged his mind. He was pulled from this dream like state by a familiar voice, although it sounded much deeper than he remembered.

"Link? Is that really you?" Link looked up, seeing a young man with a fair face dressed in a guard's uniform, and long brown hair pulled behind his head. It took him a moment to realize who he was looking at, but there was no mistaking that chin and wide smile.

"Jonathan?"

"I knew it was you!" Jonathan said, practically shouting. He grabbed Link by the shoulders, pulling him in for a brotherly embrace. "Goodness how you have grown, I hardly recognized you."

"And I hardly recognized you, you've changed so much, what are you doing here?" Link was overjoyed to see his oldest friend, but in addition to that he welcomed the distraction from his depressive state.

"I here on business matters, delivering some messages for my superiors. I heard rumors that you joined the Guard. I see by your uniform now that this is true, and you are the Company Lead by the looks of it." He pointed towards the small pendant pinned on Link's tunic, signifying his rank.

"Yes, Captain Kerrigan promoted me not to long ago."

"I've heard good things about Captain Kerrigan. He's said to be the best teacher you could ask for. I trained under Captain Morint, at the Akkala Citadel; an honorable man to say the least." Jonathan always spoke so energetically, Link wished he could always be so upbeat, so optimistic like Jonathan. _Maybe I used to be. But not now._

"Captain Kerrigan has been a great mentor to me. He always pushes me to be my best." Link replied, omitting the part about how much that aspect stressed him. However, in a change of mindset he punished the thought; _I have to have a stronger will than that, just get over it_.

"I'm glad to hear it. How much longer until you graduate?"

"By the end of this summer."

"This summer?! I've never heard of a knight graduating so young. Only fifteen eh?" Jonathan punched his arm teasingly. The Knights of the new Hyrule were always so young, it needed new recruits every day to fill its ever-expanding reach and booming population. However, fifteen was stretching it, he was just barely out of his growth spurt.

"Yes, and I plan on joining the Royal Guard as soon as I am able." he replied, grinning.

"A prestigious position for sure. I have no doubt you will be successful. To think, that my old pal would grow to become the youngest knight to join the Royal Guard. I hear the training is tough, two years of hell." The two began to walk in the direction of the training yard.

"I've heard similar rumors, but I've made up my mind, I _will_ join."

Jonathan laughed, "And I've never know you to be a liar. I have no doubt you will succeed."

 _I will. I have to._ Link was surprised by his new resolve.

Jonathan changed subjects, asking "How is your father, I haven't seen him in years." Link's mind returned to the heart wrenching discussion he had earlier, but forced himself to reply in a cheery tone, wanting to avoid Jonathan from prying deeper. He didn't want to talk about it. Not yet.

"He is well. I just met with him actually." he hoped his forced tone would be undetected by Jonathan.

"Perhaps I will visit him later, before I leave again." Jonathan replied. Link was glad he avoided detection.

"I'm sure he would be happy to see you." Link's father always saw Jonathan like a second son, welcoming him into their home at any hour of the day. They were almost to the training yard by then. "Have you gotten a chance to see your family yet?"

"Yes, they were the people first I visited. Mother is well, and Ariel is growing into a beautiful young lady. I'm sure I will have to work hard to fend off any displeasing suitors." Jonathan laughed from his core. "But in my absence I'll need you to look after them while I'm gone. You're the only one I trust here to do that."

"Of course. But I'm sure you could do a much better job of that. Are you sure you can't stay? Maybe transfer back?" Link wished deep down that he would answer yes, but he already knew the answer.

"Unfortunately, no. I'm getting along well at the Citadel, Captain Morint has promised that if I keep up the good work that I will be promoted to Sergeant in no time." Jonathan paused for a moment, a playful smile striking his lips, "Besides, you wouldn't stand a chance to meet any women if I did return, they would be too busy mooning over me." Jonathan vigorously rubbed his hand in Link's golden hair, like he used to do when they were younger, making it a proper mess. Link pushed away, and they both laughed loudly. Link's mind quickly wandered to thoughts of Zelda, his heart raced; he would get to see her again tonight. "On that topic, have you met anyone, Link? Anyone _special?_ " Jonathan elbowed Link, raising his eyebrow up and down twice with a wry smile.

"No. well. Possibly." _Shit! Why did I say that?_ Link was in trouble, _I should've kept my mouth shut_. He tried to play it cool, replying in a nonchalant voice, but he knew Jonathan would grill him at the stake until he told him every detail of this _mystery_ woman.

"Oh really?" Jonathan replied in a mischievously long-drawn breath. "What's she like? Is she pretty? Does she like you? Can I meet her?" his questions were insistent and rapid, all accompanied by a grin that stretched ear to ear.

"Oh stop! It's nothing," Link tried desperately to disperse his questions.

"Doesn't sound like 'nuthing.' C'mon you can tell me Link." Jonathan wrapped his arm around his neck, yanking Link down, like an older brother would do.

"Okay, okay." Link begrudging replied.

"What is her name?" Jonathan insisted with a playful tone.

Link panicked, "Evelynn!" his hesitation was noticed.

"Liar! And to think, I had just called you an honest man. You break my heart, Link. Now confess!" Jonathan pulled Link in further, messing up his hair again, laughing the whole time.

"June!" he tried again.

"Nnnope!"

"Sarah."

"Oh, how unoriginal," Jonathan sighed, letting go of his neck. "Fine, you don't have to tell me her real name, at least tell me what she is like."

Link adjusted his tunic, combing his hair with his fingers. "What do you want to know?"

"Well for starters, does she like you?" Jonathan asked. It was a good question, but Link didn't really know the answer. He knew for a fact he liked her, perhaps more than he was willing to admit even to himself, but he was torn between two possibilities. Obviously, Zelda thought of him as a very close friend, he knew that much, but he couldn't help but doubt his own intuition as to what her feelings truly were. He wanted to believe she felt the same way for him, but feared that he misinterpreted the situation, and that she only saw him as a friend. At any rate, it was surely a futile cause, he was a nobody, and she was a princess. At least that's what he always tried to convince himself. _Hard to swallow my own truth I guess._

"Well. I think so, but I have my doubts." Link struggled and fumbled with these words. He could feel his cheeks and ears heating up.

"You haven't told her how you feel? Tsk tsk tsk, I thought better of you, Link." Jonathan jested.

Link looked down at the ground. "No. I shouldn't. I can't."

"What do you mean you can't, it's not that hard, just say it."

"It's not that, I want to… It's more complicated than that." Link continued to stare at the ground. Jonathan stopped, and turned to face him, his voice was more serious now.

"How do you mean?"

Link sighed. "It's nothing." He wanted to tell him, desperately. He had no one to talk to about it. Not even Dan, but he wanted Dan to know as little about it as possible, it was safer that way.

"Link,"

"I said its nothing. Can we please change the subject?" Link said this a little more harshly than he wanted.

Jonathan could see it was a touchy topic for Link. "Very well then, we can change the subject," he replied. They had finally arrived at the training yard. Link wanted nothing more than to keep talking with his oldest friend, but duty called, and he feared he would slip up and tell him about Zelda.

"I'm sorry, but I must go. It's been good seeing you, Jonathan. I will miss you." Link was filled with sadness at this prospect, he had been a welcomed distraction to his gloomy thoughts.

"I will miss you too, Link. Please take care." They hugged one another, they both knew it would be a long time until they would see each other again. As Link turned to return to the training yard, Jonathan called out to him, "Link. I'm sure everything will turn out all right." Link appreciated the sentiment greatly. He said goodbye one last time, and resumed his determined walk on the grassy field.

* * *

Quiet snores were all Link could hear. The bright moonlight cast small square pockets of light on the wall opposite of him. _Its time._ Link sat up in his bed, slowly reaching over to his leather boots, not making a sound. His boots were on, and he pulled his tunic over his head, fastening his well-worn belt. He sat in his bed a little longer. _I should stop this. If the captain found out…_ He didn't want to think about the consequences, his desire beat harder. This was the routine he went through every night that Dan was on guard duty. At first, he felt no remorse, it was exciting, but ever since his promotion to Company Lead, the crushing weight of his new responsibilities as a leader gnawed away at him. _Why do you try? Even if she did care for you like that what good would it be, she is well above your reach._ There were always two voices that argued in his head. _But there's nothing inherently wrong or forbidden about it, no law, at least not anymore. The King was once just a simple knight like you, destined to a life of service, and yet here they are married and in love._ Link wanted to believe it, but his other half had a convincing rebuttal: _It was different then. Their old home, the royal family, all destroyed, no one to tell them 'no,' no system to maintain. It was a single chance, a chance that is gone now._ Link felt his head being torn apart. He tried to convince himself to stay, but found himself nodding to Dan, his foot already out the door.

His path was simple, he'd walked it a hundred times over the last five years. He kept low, sneaking along the dark shadow cast by the castle wall to his left. He would follow it around, until he would hit his first _major_ obstacle. He would wait for his moment, when the guards weren't looking, to slip across the road past the lower gatehouse, unseen. He reached the base of the stone foundation that held up the tall isolated tower. He set himself to scaling the ridged wall, eventually reaching the foot of the tower itself. It was a long climb, but he was accustomed to it, there were plenty of footholds to grip onto. He could try to take the stairs nearby, but there were guards usually station not far from them. He was panting by the time he reached the top, swinging a leg over the wall of the stone bridge that connected Zelda's bedroom to her personal study.

"I don't know how you manage to make that look easy," Link heard over his right shoulder, the sweet, soothing voice sent chills up his spin. Link turned around, trying to hide his shortness of breath.

"Well, I guess you get used to it after a while," he responded with a flirtatious grin. _Stop it,_ he cursed to himself.

Zelda simply laughed, her vibrant green eyes flashed in the pale moonlight. "I suppose one _would_ get used to it." She had a simple flowing gown on, like she usually did. She was barefoot tonight too, he remarked. She had a warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders, summer was approaching, but the nights were still chilly.

"Won't your feet get cold, Zelda?" Link asked, walking closer to her.

"Perhaps. But I like the way the cold stone feels on my feet, it's refreshing." Again, she smiled. _That smile;_ it was intoxicating, contagious. Link joined her by the edge, peering over, taking in the scenery. Small trees rocking blissfully in the breeze of the mountain, the blue moon illuminating the countryside; so quiet, so peaceful. Zelda sighed contently, "Beautiful, as always."

 _As are you,_ he wanted to say it, but dared not to. Link smiled, "Yes. It is."

Zelda turned her head to look at Link, "Did you see your father today? You told me you might."

"I did," he hesitated for a moment, remembering his father's heavy words. "he is doing well," he continued. Zelda shot a concerned look.

"What's wrong?" she asked sympathetically.

 _Does my face really show it that much?_ "It's nothing really."

"Link, you can tell me. You never used to hold back anything," she insisted, her long eyelashes beating meaningfully. Her eyes were locked with his, but he promptly looked away, fearing the penetrating, entrancing gaze.

"it's… it's just that my father brought up my mother. I've never seen him like _that_ before." Link leaned forward, his elbows on the wall, staring out listlessly. "I asked him about her before. When I was younger, but I never got a full answer. But _today_ ," Link couldn't find the words. _Stop it._

"You can tell me, Link." Her voice was so sincere, so caring. _Why is this so hard?_

"He told me about when she died. When I was born. All she wanted was to hold me. The tears in his eyes. I couldn't stand it." He felt her warm hand on his shoulder. A small gesture, but it meant so much to him. He felt guilty, how could he be so weak, he had to be strong. For his mother. For his father. Link looked back at Zelda, there they were, _those eyes, like shimmering emerald spirits._ She was always there for him, when he felt down, or stressed. She was always there to pull him out _._ He took a deep breath, _stop it._ "Sorry."

"No, tell me more," she insisted, her stare never wavering.

"He said that when she died, I was all he had left. A small premature child, helpless in the world. And yet he said I gave him all the courage he needed. _Me._ That I somehow replaced the strength he clung to that he once found in my mother. _"_ He still couldn't figure out how or why. "Honestly, kindness, and courage," he muttered. "How can I possibly hope to uphold her wishes, her standards, all I feel is weakness."

"Was it not kindness that drove you to care for your neighbor's animals, to help a poor old woman in need? Was it not courage to risk your own life to save a helpless girl from a rabid beast, to leave your home to serve your kingdom? Was it not honesty to confess your failures, even when you thought there would be consequences?" she grabbed his hand. "That doesn't sound like weakness to me. That sounds like a boy; a man, desperately fighting for what he believes is right."

Link didn't know what to say. _But what about-_

She cut his thought off, knowing he doubted himself, "You give your father strength and courage, because he loves you, you are all he has. You give him purpose, a reason to be courageous, a reason to be proud. He's seen how you've grown to be a kindhearted, and honest man; _fearless._ "

 _Could she be right?_ He looked back into her eyes, he couldn't tear himself away. A cold breeze swept through, Link shivered a little, he forgot his coat.

"You are cold, I have an extra blanket." Zelda briskly walked back to her room, eventually reemerging with a second warm blanket.

"Thank you, Zelda." _Even uttering her name…_

She glanced at him, and smiled, "You're welcome, _Link."_ At these words, she wrapped her blanket around her tighter, sliding down to the ground, with her back against the wall. Link joined her, he felt her arm rub against his, sending goosebumps. She looked up at the cloudless sky, countless white dots sprinkled the sky.

"You know, I heard that before the gods departed from this world, they left us with one last gift. They created the stars, so that we could navigate our world. So that even in the dark of the night, we could find our way back home. Though our world may be plunged into chaos, into war, at the end of the day all he had to do was _look up._ And we would know where we stood. Always." Link had never really thought about the stars before, but Zelda spoke with such grace, such wonder, that he knew he would look at them differently from here on, for the rest of his life.

"You know, it's kinda funny," Link remarked, a childish grin on his lips.

"What is?" Zelda asked, craning her head towards Link, smiling, anticipating a witty statement.

He tried to hide his smile, biting his lip, "I always thought the stars were just a bunch of fireflies that felt to high and mighty to come down back to the earth."

Zelda laughed earnestly, letting out a little snort, covering her mouth in embarrassment. Link laughed from his belly, he had never heard her do that before.

"Come on, it wasn't even that funny of a joke," Link said, poking her with his elbow, grinning ear to ear.

She could barely control herself, "I'm sorry, I try not to do that."

"Why?" he interjected, "I kinda like it."

She gasped, "Noooo," she said giggling, "'it's not very becoming of a young lady, to snoot and snort' is what my mother always says." She tried to control her laughter, covering her mouth again.

"Well I think that you should be free to laugh, however you want, just have fun. That's what laughing is for isn't it? To have fun."

Zelda continued to cover her mouth, her face was red. Was she blushing? Or was it just from laughing? He couldn't tell. "Well," she had finally recovered. "I'm glad you think so, it means a lot."

They returned to their star-gazing. Link felt Zelda rest her head on his shoulder, he felt her soft golden hair brush against the crook of his neck. It was electrifying, his heart raced. He looked down at her, her emerald eyes still peering at the heavens. He let his head fall, he could feel her hair on his cheek now, every sensation heightened. He felt her hand slip around his, intertwining her fingers with his. He never wanted it to end. He wanted to sit there, staring into the night sky with her close to him, forever. He was at peace, the weight of his heavy day melted away, his worries were all but gone. He hadn't felt this free since… well, ever.

"Are you ever scared?" Zelda's voice broke in after the long silence.

"Of?"

"I don't know… I can't explain it. Losing. Something, I don't know." Her thumb slowly caressed his hand.

Link sighed, _I do now._ "I think I know what you mean. And yes, I am."

They said nothing else. Before long Link could feel his eyes drooping, heavy as led. It was time to go, _but I don't want to, I want to stay here. With her._ He looked down at Zelda, "Hey-," she was fast asleep. All he wanted was to let her stay there, on his shoulder, dreaming away. He nudged her a little. "Hey, wake up little lamb." _Why would I call her that?_ Luckily it appeared she hadn't heard it, "I have to go, I'm sorry." She lifted her head up, Link could feel the cold rush in and replace the warmth, he was sad to feel it leave. She sighed.

"You're right. You have training tomorrow." Link helped her stand up, holding on to her hand, but he didn't let go, there was an awkward pause. He realized his folly, and let go, returning her blanket, thanking her softly.

"Goodnight, Zelda, I'll see you in two weeks, maybe sooner." he said as he climbed over the edge.

"Goodnight, _Link."_

Link made quick work of climbing back down the tower, he was tired, and yearned for his bed. He reached the foot of the tower, then down the base. He dusted his hands off, walking to return to the barracks when out of his peripheral he saw _him._

"What do you think you are doing?" It was Captain Kerrigan, he had found him out, he sounded pissed. Angrier than he had ever heard him, and that was saying a lot. Link stammered on his words, trying to think of an excuse. "Shut up. Come with me. To my office."

It was a shameful walk back to the training yard, luckily Captain Kerrigan avoided the other guards. Link could only guess he didn't want to draw attention to the situation. Link just stared out the ground, lost for words. It wasn't long until they were both in the captain's office, a simple room, a long table at its center, piled high with books, paper, quills, and ink. The candles burnt low and dim. Captain Kerrigan took a seat, sighing loudly, rubbing his eyes. He stared at Link for a moment, his bushy eyebrows furrowed until the shadow they cast covered his eyes. After clearing his throat, he began,

"I presume you will _not_ try to deny what I have seen."

Link was ashamed, "Yes sir."

"How could you be so stupid?! Of all the idiotic things you could do! Stealing away secret nights with the King's own daughter." The captain sounded dumbfounded.

Link knew what he had done, there was no getting out of this. No point in dragging the pain out. "I have no excuse, Captain. My actions were immature, selfish, and idiotic."

"Do you realize how serious this is boy!? What if someone else had caught you. You would have been stripped of your rank and thrown out into the street, dishonorably discharged."

"But captain, there are no laws against-"

"Against what? Abandoning your post to be with a woman, regardless of their birth name. Against creating a liability that can, and would jeopardize a military operation? I can assure you Link, there are many laws against that. If we were at war this offense would have been be punishable by death." The captain's voice was sharp and condescending.

"I… I-"

"Did you not consider the consequences? Even if it was just some village girl, you disobeyed strict orders by leaving your barracks without authorization, trespassing on property that you are not authorized be on, and fornicating with a woman that you have no business being around in the first place!"

"I didn't not fornicate with her!" Link was furious, _how dare he accuse me of that!_ His blood was boiling.

"I believe you in that regard, you were always an honest, if not stupid soldier. But what I think is of little importance, do you really think that anyone else would believe your claim, for even a second?"

Link realized the truth of it all. As much as the captain's words enraged him, deep down he knew it was the truth, and that is why it hurt so much more. Link sighed, he let go of his anger, in its place surged only sorrow.

"No… they wouldn't believe it." It hurt. Letting the words roll off his tongue felt like poison. Did his words really hold no truth, no worth, outside of his closest friends and allies? All Link could do was stare at his boots, his head was heavy.

"As you should expect, I forbid you from ever visiting the Princess in her chambers ever again. You will not speak to her unless directly spoken to, and only respond in a way that is befitting of your status. You will crush whatever foolish ideas of love you have in your head. And you will keep your mouth shut." His words fell like a hammer.

"Yes, Captain. I swear it." Link was utterly distraught. Warped like metal that burned to hot, then being plunged into cold waters, making him brittle, prone to snapping under pressure. The depth of her eyes, the racing of his heart, the pure ecstasy, all of it plunged into shame, a feeling of uselessness, and sorrow. It wasn't fair. Link's face must have been truly articulate of his inner conflict, for Captain Kerrigan's tone changed. He sounded sympathetic almost.

"Link. I know it's not fair. Life rarely is. But you have a responsibility to your people, before yourself. Soon you will stand among your shield-brothers as a soldier, a knight. Cast aside your doubts, forget your petty thoughts, and rise to your true calling, your true potential." Link clung to these words. Before he would have scoffed at them, but now he had nothing. They were the only comfort he had.

 _Well, it is all I've ever wanted to do. I remember always seeing the knights practicing in the training yard, and all I could think was how exciting it looked._

The words of his childhood lashed out to him, _perhaps that is all I ever really was. All I should be: a knight. After all, I guess it's all I have left. Besides my friends, and my father._ The other side of him coiled up, ready to scream out another opinion, _so this is all you will become, an emotionless machine, die a decrepit knight, never finding love. What kind of life is that?_ He quickly countered himself, shouting _: An honest one!_ _Instead of hiding in the shadows, hiding a forbidden love._ He hoped he could find peace with it. That maybe he would settle it once and for all, but his brain ran in circles, it was worse than he could've imagined. _I abandoned my responsibilities as a knight to be with her, if this is a burden I must carry forever, the punishment I must pay, then I will._

"I will do as you ask, Captain." Link could feel the tears pulsating to his eyes, he pinned them down, he had to start somewhere; casting aside his personal wants, his emotions. _Honesty, kindness, and courage. No more sneaking around, no more playing with emotions, no more weakness._

 _Honesty. Kindness. Courage._

 _Honesty. Kindness. Courage._

The repetition was calming. Captain Kerrigan sighed once more. "I will do you the courtesy of never revealing this to anyone. Only if you keep your word. You are free to go. Get some rest, we have a long training day tomorrow to prepare for graduation."

"Yes Captain, thank you sir." Link marched out of his office, he couldn't help but let one tear streak down his cheek.

Honesty. Kindness. Courage.


	5. Graduation

Author Note: Just wanted to let y'all know there will be a small Q&A section at the end of this chapter. I will choose some questions that I've been getting through various reviews, since I can't direct message guests who write reviews. Anywho, hope you enjoy this next chapter!

 **-Written In Bold**

 _Chapter five, Graduation_

 _The same countless, lifeless bodies. Shattered shields, torn banners, the blood. His chest burned, gasping for air, why this again?_

 _Silence, a soothing breeze, the heavens shine in its twinkling splendor, but it is doomed to be swallowed. An all-consuming darkness, a black mass: rising, it will blot out the stars that once shone with pride. Stand before him now are four figures, long, slender, shrouded in black clouds, their faces concealed. They draw their swords, crude, jagged weapons; ancient._

 _A light arises at his back, a voice calls to him. He cannot understand it, it is drowned out by the ringing. What could it mean?_

" _Link, are you ever scared?" is all he can decipher._

"Link!"

He gasps for air, his forehead is beading with sweat, paralyzed with fear. _No, it's over._ "I'm fine, thank you," he finally calls out.

"They're getting worse, your night terrors."

"I know. But they will pass. Thank you, Glen, that will be all." Glen nodded his head, and returned to his post by the door, he was only an hour into his shift after taking Dan's place. _Will they really pass? I suppose it doesn't really matter._ Link laid his head back down, attempting to return to sleep. He tried not to think about her, he would almost have preferred the nightmares, but now even those were invaded by her voice. _Will you really give up that easy? Is she not worth fighting for?_ Link readjusted himself, trying to get comfortable. _Of course she's worth it. But this is how you can best serve her, serve her kingdom. I can live with that; serving her, serving her people, my people. That's what we do, don't we? The Knights. We serve our kingdom, upholding order, and justice, even if that means sacrifice, or death._ Link closed his eyes, there was nothing to distract him. _Maybe it won't be so bad, you can still make a difference. Make father… And mother proud, by living up to the strength they saw in you._

 _Honesty, kindness, and courage._

 _I guess you will just have to make peace with that, and get over it._ His father's tear-filled voice echoed in his mind. _This loss is nothing in comparison to that._ His heart felt heavy, it was a burden he wished he could cut out, but he swore to himself he would carry it.

The morning light brought a ray of warmth with it, soft white clouds drifted along the currents of wind. Summer had arrived.

"Company. Attention!" Link shouted to his comrades. They snapped their feet together, straightening their backs, fists at their side. Link tuned, facing the same way as his company. "Good morning, Captain." Link's voice was even, his face void of emotion.

"Good morning trainee's." The captain eyed the Company Lead, eventually turning his gaze to the remainder of the company. "As you all know, your graduation is just around the corner. Therefore, it is time you all start to consider your future occupations. Be it a foot soldier, archer, engineer, cavalryman, or a royal guardsman. By the end of the day I want all of your requests in written form, signed, and left in my office, or given to Lieutenant Adam." The captain gestured to the lieutenant to his right. "While I cannot guarantee your requested position, we will take your wishes into consideration when placing you into your new jobs." Captain Kerrigan paused, "Understood?"

"Yes sir!" his trainee's replied.

"Then we shall continue your normal training schedule."

Another morning of sparring. Although now, instead of a group of boys wildly swinging heavy practice swords around, a company of well trained and disciplined soldiers perfected their art. Link arranged his company into groups of two, opposite of each other, split by an imaginary boundary. He took a spot among them, facing off against Liam. Liam was a skilled fighter, he had a sturdy, wide frame, but was still flexible enough to dance around proficiently with a sword. He stood a little taller than Link, but that didn't really give him an advantage over Link, and he knew it. They both nodded at each other, taking their stances, preparing for their duel. Link swung first, a fast swipe to Liam's shoulder. Liam blocked it, returning with a swing that was a bit awkward. With ease Link spun his sword around, deflecting the strike and closed in on his opportunity. He stepped forward, his sword pointing at Liam's neck. Liam nodded, then returned to his first position. They began their dance again, this time Liam made sure his footing was secure and his attacks paced and accurate. Still, to no avail he found Link's sword at his neck. He chuckled a little bit. Again, and again they sparred, always ending in Link's favor, but it was nothing new. Link had grown to be the most skilled swordsmen in the company. He even once bested Captain Kerrigan, who seemed quite surprised by his student's abilities. _That's probably why he promoted him to Company Lead, among other things,_ Liam remarked. Link never boasted his victories, not anymore at least. Liam had noticed a change in Link over the years that they trained together, he grew quieter, as opposed to the cheery outspoken child he once knew. Link now kept his words brief only speaking up when spoken directly to. However, today he seemed even worse, normally he would say 'good job,' or give feedback, but today his sparring companion was silent as the grave. _I suppose he's under a lot of stress. Natural I guess._

"Link," Captain Kerrigan called out after they had warmed up with their light sparring. "tell your men to form up into groups of three. And pass out shields, one per group."

"Yes sir," Link replied. He re-split them into their small groupings, spreading them out a little to allow for more room to move freely, one group having an extra man by consequence of the re-split. _Two versus one_ , it was a drill they performed regularly to help simulate a real battle, when the odds were against them. They took turns being the _one,_ while their comrades advanced on them in unison. It almost always ended in favor of the _two,_ but it wasn't strictly about winning, more as a chance to practice adaptability. Link had, however, grown accustom to this drill, and could take down his opponents seemingly as easy as beating just one. They resumed their sparring, as Captain Kerrigan walked and examined his trainee's, often stopping to correct his students' forms, or to give advice. It was Link's turn to be the _one_ when Captain Kerrigan arrived to observe his group. Liam and Dan were fierce opponents, but Link knew their movements and habits well. With each successful strike, he pressed his advantage. The captain watched with vulture-like intensity, his bushy eyebrows furrowed.

"You two are allowing him to corral you together. You need to spread out, attack on multiple sides and overwhelm him."

Dan and Liam nodded, resuming their stances, side stepping in opposite directions. Link kept his eyes on both as long as he could, until his eyes darted back and forth to account for the distance between his opponents. They attacked in unison, Link blocked Liam's attack with his sword, and Dan's with his shield. Link spun around, converging on Liam, quickly landing a blow on his ribcage, minding Dan's vertical swing, blocking it with his shield. With one down, the fight was practically over.

"Your attacks are becoming predictable," the captain commented. "Again." Despite their best efforts, the two trainees failed to best their Company Lead. "Craig!" the captain shouted. "Come here." Craig jogged over, ready to receive his orders. "Join in with them," he said pointing at Link's group. Craig shot a cocky smile, he still hadn't forgotten when Link embarrassed him in front of the King.

Liam and Dan gave each other concerned looks as if saying _are we really going to do this?_ "Begin," the captain ordered. Craig, as usual was the most aggressive of the three, he lurched forward, swinging heavy. Link managed to catch it with his shield, but the other two trainees collapsed in on him from his left and right. Link was forced to jump to the side to avoid them. He was light on his feet, faster than his opponents, but even he struggled to avoid the onslaught of swords. He circled the group in hopes of preventing them from spreading around him again. Craig engaged a second time, and Link deflected his strike with his sword; it glanced to the side. Liam brought up his second attack, swinging at Link's back, he was forced to bend his arm behind him, with his elbow high up, which was well outside of his power zone. Their swords met, but the force of Liam's swing broke Link's guard, and his own sword pressed against his body. Before Link had time look, Dan came at him from the opposite side, and swung his sword down on his shield, ripping it from his hand. He jumped back two paces, holding onto his sword with both hands. It was hopeless, all three swung at him in different directions. He blocked Liam's advance, but took the brunt of the other two's dull blades. Dan had held back a little, but Link received no such mercy from Craig. _That's going to bruise later,_ Link thought as he grimaced in pain, kneeling in the grass.

"Again," the captain said. Dan and Liam looked at their captain, showing concern for Link. "Again," he reiterated, a little harsher. Link tried his best to single out one opponent, to even the odds a little. Again, it ended all the same, a swift strike to his chest and back. This repeated several times. "Again... Link, use their positioning against them, they can't all attack at once if their ally is in the way."

Link simply nodded and took his stance again. His ribs and back ached. _Breath,_ he thought to himself, _speed is your advantage._ They began again, a malicious smile was on Craig's face. _What a jackass,_ Link cursed. This time he had a plan, or an idea of a plan at least. Dan struck first this time, and Link bolted forward, swiping the lunge sideways with his shield, ducking his head as his stepped in between Dan and Craig. He quickly spun around and followed up with an offensive retaliation on Dan's backside, then turning his attention to Craig. Before Liam could maneuver around Craig to attack, Link managed a successful jab at Craig's gut, resulting in a satisfying "Oof!" as he fell back. It was just Liam and Link now. Liam grinned, _he did it._ Although he would surely lose, he couldn't help but admire Link's determination. A few exchanges later and Link stood victorious again. He quickly realized the whole company was watching now, as did Captain Kerrigan. He grinned a little, "Back to work, gentlemen." The captain continued his patrol, but first ordered Craig to head back to his group.

"Good work," Craig said to Link as he left. Was he being sincere, albeit jestingly? Or just condescending? He couldn't tell. It sounded like it could have been either.

"That will probably leave a mark, eh?" Dan muttered amusingly towards Link.

"Probably," Link responded curtly. Dan flashed a look of concern, taking notice in Link's impassive tone.

In a low volume Dan asked, "You good. You seem tired. Upset."

"Yeah. I'm fine." Link's lackluster response did not convince Dan, but there was no time to press for more detail. _He did seem upset last night when he returned to the barracks. Was he found out?_ "C'mon, let's go," Link continued, with irritation in his voice. Their training resumed for the rest of the morning until it was time for lunch. Another stew, like always. Link was quiet during lunch to. It was hard for Dan to get a read on him, _what's on his mind?_ He thought he might try asking again, now that they had a little free time while they ate. Link sat opposite of him, he was focused on his small bowl, which he ate ritualistically.

"Link, you sure you're good?" Dan asked quietly.

"Yeah, why shouldn't I be?" Link looked up at him, his eyes were stern and tempered.

"You just seem quieter than usual."

"It's my responsibility to make sure we're prepared for graduation. My mind is just occupied," Link responded, returning to his food.

Dan sighed, "I guess you're right. Graduation is coming soon." They finished their meal in quiet, Link seemed distant, but ever vigilant, often crooking his head to the side as if intently listening to his surroundings. Dan didn't enjoy seeing Link like this, he seemed on edge, but his short responses were always calm and collected, confident even. _Confident._ It was a strange way to put it, he thought. _Resolute? Maybe?_ At any rate, it was a puzzle he couldn't solve.

During their classes Dan noticed that Link maintained this new distant vigilance. Usually he would observe Link losing interest in the less than fervent instructor quickly, but today he sat stiff as a board in his chair, actively listening to every spoken word from their lecture. _Surely that's not a bad thing, is it? But it's different. Out of the ordinary._ He pushed this thought out of his mind, in attempt to refocus himself on class. _Maybe it will wear off._

It certainly didn't wear off during their last few months of training, it stubbornly remained. Dan also noted that Link stopped leaving in the middle of the night when he was on guard duty. _He must have been caught._ Dan was sure of it, but now he acted like a machine now, achieving every task with precision, and discipline, but all in tempered, emotionless silence. When Link _actually_ spoke, he had a commanding voice, the trainee's that had once openly resented him and his leadership status were now submissive and obedient, even Craig. Captain Kerrigan seemed pleased by Link's solidified reverence in the company. The captain even once outwardly congratulated Link on his success in leadership, and discipline. To which he responded with a curt 'Thank you, sir.'

The trainees grew anxious with anticipation, with each passing day they grew closer to reaching their final day, an end to their five-year endeavor to be recognized as fully integrated knights of the realm. They had all submitted their placement requests two months prior, and waited with baited breath to hear the results. The trainees also began to see more high-ranking officers in their camp to observe their progress, and to confirm that they were ready. Among them was Commander Varin, who was an intimidating man to say the least. He was a broad shouldered and stout man, carrying a sense of purpose everywhere he walked. A thick black beard with sparse white hairs mixed in is what distinguishing him from the other officers. It was a trait he wore proudly, stroking it often. The trainees grew to love him almost immediately, as despite his intimidating outer features, he was actual quite the comedian. On the first day of his arrival, Commander Varin huffed and puffed about, with a fuming expression on his face. Link was the first trainee he spoke to. The other trainees couldn't hear what the commander said, but Link must have replied with something smart, because the commanders face instantly changed to a devilish grin, laughing from his belly, shouting "Ah, I'm just messing with you boy! You are quite a somber lad huh?" He slapped Link on the back as he turned to the rest of the company, to introduce himself properly.

"Good morning trainees," he called out in a lively voice. "I am Commander Varin, as some of you may know. I am simply here to ensure that Captain Kerrigan has done his job properly, and that you boys are up to snuff, ready to be named knights of Hyrule." The commander spoke with each member of the company one by one, asking their name and briefly chatting with them. When he was finished he addressed the group again. "I can guarantee that I will not remember all of your names, but don't take offense to that, it's nothing personal. Thank you for your time gentlemen." The trainees set about completing their morning exercise after the commander dismissed himself.

Graduation day had finally come. Link ordered his company into a ridged formation, their new armor shone brightly in the hot sun. A large crowd had gathered around the edge of the courtyard, comprised primarily of the trainee's families and attentive bystanders. Link's father watched proudly from afar. After inspecting the company, Link turned to face the same direction as his men, towards the ensemble of officers, Captain Kerrigan, and Commander Varin being among them. At the center stood the members of the Royal Family. Link's heart froze when he saw _her._ It had been nearly three months since they last spoke. He peered straight ahead, avoiding her gaze. He could feel it; her penetrating emerald eyes, but he was determined to expel the feeling from his mind. _Is she angry at me? Confused?_ Link felt guilty. None of it was her fault, and yet she had to suffer for it. The courtyard was quiet.

"Commander, Captain," the King said as he nodded in acknowledgement. "Are you both in agreeance that the men that stand before us have completed their allotted training and are ready, beyond a doubt, to be named knights of Hyrule?"

"Yes, your grace." They responded.

A smile struck the Kings mouth, "Good." He stepped down from the dais, and addressed the young company. "I extend my congratulations to each and every one of you that stand before me. I remember your young faces when I first met you all, when you courageously left the comfort of your homes, and your families to serve a higher purpose. Here now, I see a battalion of young warriors, that cast away their old lives, and now rise as servants of the realm. There are no words that can express my gratitude for your sacrifice. May the goddess Hylia smile down upon you, and bring you good fortune." The King paused momentarily, then ordered: "Company, take a knee." In perfect unison, all the trainees knelt down. "Do you swear to serve your kingdom to the full extent of your abilities?"

"We swear it, your grace," they replied

"Do you swear to protect and uphold the laws of this land, and be willing to give your life in this pursuit?"

"We swear it, your grace."

"Then by the power granted to me by this kingdom, I hereby name you knights of Hyrule. Rise." The crowd erupted with applauds and shouting, cheering on their newly declared knights. The King smiled. He allowed the crowd to cheer for a little while longer, then raised his hand to signal for silence. "Now that you are all appointed to knighthood, there is one last ceremony. As is tradition, your captain has chosen to award one of you with a gift. This gift will be given to whoever Captain Kerrigan has determined to have shown true valor, leadership, and sacrifice in your training. Someone who had gone above and beyond the call of duty." He nodded at Captain Kerrigan. The captain held a long object, wrapped in a fine leather covering. He untied the small cords keeping it together, and pulled out a beautiful sword. It was a finely crafted weapon, with a handle of dark purple leather, a golden hilt, and a shining edge.

"I have chosen Link to inherit this fine blade, your grace. Through trials and struggle, he has proven himself a fearless and valiant soldier. A worthy recipient." The captain presented the sword before Link. Link took it from his hands, disbelief overcoming his facial expressions. He felt the curves and edges of his gift, it truly was a fine blade, but he didn't feel worthy of this gift; how could he be? He wondered. _Even after my disgraceful actions? I disobeyed-_ his thought was cut short by Captain Kerrigan.

"Even in his failures, he found it within himself to change, to correct his actions." The captain stared into his eyes knowingly, and nodded.

"Thank you, Captain." Link smiled. He felt a new, deeper respect for his captain.

The newly appointed knights all cheered loudly once they were dismissed. Many rushed over to look at Link's new blade. Some seemed jealous, but they congratulated him on his accomplishment. The families and friend of the knights poured in around them. For the first time in a while, Link felt light spirited and happy. After five long grueling years of training, he had emerged a knight. Sadly, this brief moment of joy vanished when he caught a glimpse of Zelda through the crowd. She wore a beautiful blue and golden dress, her hair shone in the radiant sunlight. She was looking right at him. They made eye contact and she smiled hopefully, although it was clear she was fearful of what Link's response would be. All he wanted was to run to her; be close to her again, feel the warmth that radiated from her, feel the softness of her hair against his cheek. _No, don't make this harder than it has to be._ He finally worked up the courage to smile and bow his head dutifully, but restrained himself from doing anymore. She shot back a solemn smile, she knew what it meant. A wave of guilt pulsated through his body. _This is all my fault,_ is all he could think.

"Link! Hey- Link!" It was his father. His father was pushing his way through the tightly packed courtyard, and embraced his son. "I'm so proud of you! Your mother would be too if she were here!"

"Do you really think so?"

His father laughed, "I know so! Come, were celebrating at the inn tonight, give you a proper send off!"

Many of Link's oldest neighbors and friends were there. He also wasn't the only knight there either. Both Liam, and Dan, and their families were there also, among other knights. It was quite a merry scene.

"I wish Jonathan was here. He would have loved to see everyone," Link yelled to his father, it was very loud in the inn. Many people were singing merry tunes as they filled their bellies with wine and beer.

"I do too. But his family is here, you should go greet them." His father pointed towards the entrance of the inn. Jonathan's mother, Angela, and her daughter were just walking in. On Ariel's arm hung little old Mrs. Tamlin, who shuffled across the wooden floor. Link heard her shout out to him from the distance.

"Mrs. Tamlin, it is good to see you!" Link answered, grinning, as he walked over to them.

"Oh! How you have grown Link! And such a handsome boy too." She grabbed his cheek with her boney fingers, tapping him lightly while laughing. Link turned his attention to his Angela and her daughter.

"She's right, you have grown to be a handsome boy indeed," Angela exclaimed.

"I'm glad to see you, I was just telling my father how I wished Jonathan could be here."

"So do we," Angela said, nodding towards her daughter. Link turned slightly, Ariel looked much older than she did last time he saw her. Her long brown hair flowed freely to her shoulders, with which a beautiful delicate face accompanied. Although she was barely a year younger than Link, she looked so mature, and _attractive._

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Link." Ariel smiled, revealing pearl white teeth.

"It has." Link replied politely.

Mrs. Tamlin interjected, saying: "You couldn't have chosen a kinder replacement for a caretaker. She has made an old woman's heart joyous."

Link smiled at Ariel, "I am glad to hear it." Ariel returned a small endearing grin in response. Link's father promptly arrived, ushering the group further in.

"That is a fine sword you have there, Link," Angela remarked, looking at the fine blade tied to his waist. Link opened his mouth to respond, humbly of course, but was cut off by his father.

"It is, isn't it? They awarded it to him. They said he was a fearless and valiant soldier." His father jabbed at Link's ribs with his elbow, smiling as he bragged on his son.

"Is that so?" Mrs. Tamlin said, winking at Link. Link shrugged his shoulders.

"It wasn't anything special, more tradition than anything else," Link insisted.

It was strange, talking that much again. Until then he didn't want to say anything for the past few months, only speaking when it was absolutely necessary. _I guess it's all the positive energy._

His father grunted, "Certainly not, that captain of yours seemed mighty proud of your accomplishments." Link could only grin in response, tilting his head.

There was a brief pause, which Link's father interrupted, "Well, Ladies," he addressed Angela and Mrs. Tamlin. "Care to join an old man for some drinks, I'm afraid my son is not much of a drinking partner, on account of his age." He laughed from his core.

Angela began to protest, but to their surprise Mrs. Tamlin audaciously agreed, saying "An old woman sometimes needs a strong drink to soothe her joints." She dragged Angela along with her, laughing.

"Excellent!" Link's father exclaimed, as they walked to the bar. His father shot a mischievous smile over his shoulder. Link only then realized his ploy. It was only Ariel and Link standing there now, alone. _Oh, please don't do this father,_ he hopelessly thought to himself, but there was no escaping the situation. He heard Ariel awkwardly clear her throat,

"So… What will you do now. Since you're done with your training?" Ariel asked bashfully.

"Well… I will wait for my orders. I applied to train as a knight of the Royal Guard, but I don't know if they will even accept me. They may send me elsewhere."

"More training!? For how long?" She asked with a rush of urgency. She quickly realized her tone, and the tips of her ears turned red. Link couldn't help but grin a little. It was endearing, but then a surge of guilt hit him, when he thought of the discontent that was in Zelda's eyes earlier that day. _So soon?_

"Well, that will only depend on if I am accepted into the Royal Guard. If that's the case, then two more years. If I'm not, then I will be assigned to a job immediately." Ariel only responded with a shy nod. "What about you? What have you been up too?"

Ariel looked up, as if shocked by his interest. "Well, Mrs. Tamlin has been giving me sewing lessons, as payment for helping her take care of her cuccos. I enjoy it, and it is a good trade to know." She said these words in a chipper voice.

"Ah, I see." Link smiled. The notion of sewing lessons reminded him that he need to have one of his undershirts mended. "You know, I actually have an undershirt that needs mending. I tore it during training the other day."

A big grin appeared on Ariel's face, "Bring it to me tomorrow morning, I can easily fix it up for you! That is of course if you have time to visit."

"I will. I won't receive my orders for a few days, I was going to spend my free time with my father."

Ariel clapped her hands together, "Excellent!" She blushed again, realizing how loudly and excitedly she said it, she opened her mouth to apologize. Link only laughed, he had seen that same enthusiasm before.

"You remind me of your brother. Always enthusiastic and cheery. Although he was never too shy to show it." His words only made her face redder. The same guilt he felt earlier slipped in, but then a new thought occurred to him. _Why shouldn't I move on. I'm sure she will move on eventually too. Besides, this is the happiest you've been in months, why not enjoy it, why not enjoy Ariel?_ It was a dangerous idea, one that felt heavy as soon as he thought it.

Ariel looked away, pulling her hair back over her ear before having the courage to look at Link. "Thank you." She smiled again, it was such a lovely one. She laughed a little, "You know, I barely recognized you when we walked in. You're so much taller than I remembered. And you look so sharp, in your uniform." Now Link could feel _his_ ears burning, it was a feeling he hadn't experienced in a while.

"I could say the same for you. Last time I spoke to your brother he said he would have to fend off displeasing suitors, since you'd grown to be so beautiful." _Holy shit, did I just say that?!_ It came so fast, without warning. It just slipped out.

Ariel giggled with red cheeks. "Did he now? And what do you think of the idea?" Her boldness surprised Link.

He couldn't deny it, even if he had wanted to. "I suppose I'm inclined to agree." A grin stretched across his lips. Ariel swept her hair over her ear again, trying to hide her smile. She opened her mouth to respond, when Link suddenly heard his father start into a coughing fit. Link spun around in concern. He saw his father trying to contain his outburst, pulling out as small handkerchief from his pocket to cover his mouth. a small spot of blood was visible in its center. He briskly walked over and asked if he was all right.

"I'm- _cough,_ fine- _cough cough._ Just gimme one minute- _cough._ " After a few harsher coughs, his fit relented.

"Father, I can take you to see a physician tomorrow, it really isn't a big deal."

His father sighed. "Perhaps I should." _Finally! He's agreed._ His father folded up his handkerchief and placed it back in his pocket. Quietly he leaned in and said: "So, how's it going over there?" he winked.

Link just scoffed, "Just fine no thanks to you." _Crazy old man_ , he thought humorously as he walked back to Ariel.

"Is he okay?" sincere concern was in Ariel's tone of voice.

"Yeah. He's finally agreed to see a physician, hopefully its not to serious."

Link and Ariel spoke for a little while longer, the inn slowly cleared out, as it grew dark out. Link's father had a few to many joyful drinks and now had a slight wobble to his walk. It was time to take him home. Mrs. Tamlin had all but fallen asleep, leaning against the bar. Ariel awoke her and promised to walk her home.

It was dark out, only a few dimly lit torches offered light on the streets outside of the inn. Link's father already began to saunter home. Angela and Mrs. Tamlin walked off in the opposite direction. Ariel stood nearby for a little longer, wanting a few more quiet moments with Link.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow when you bring your undershirt," she said with a smile.

"Right," he replied.

"Goodnight then, Link"

"Goodnight, Zel-" He stopped himself in time. Luckily, Ariel didn't seem to notice, and began her walk home. _How could you be so stupid!? You should have known this would happen._ As much as he wanted to deny it, he still loved _her;_ Zelda. And worse than that, now he was projecting her onto Ariel. _It's not fair to her. How dare you toy with her emotions like that._ It was a recurring theme of self-scolding. _She is a sweet innocent girl. And you're nothing but a displeasing suitor that needs to be chased off._ He stomped off to home, chasing after his father. _You're clearly not ready for that. Not until you can let go, truly let go._ As much as it hurt to admit the truth, falling for Ariel was an iniquity. _Ariel deserves better._

 _Honesty, kindness, courage._

 _How can you hope to live up to those standards, when you are too much of a coward to face hardship?_ His mind was made up. Out of spite for his foolish desire for love, he could not peruse Ariel in good conscious.

"Are you alright, son? You seem upset?" his father asked with a slurred tongue.

"I'm fine, father. Just remembering mother's words."

"Honesty, kindness, and courage? You certainly do a good job son. You're a good little lamb." Link took his father's arm to guide him home.

 _If I'm doing 'such a good job' then why do I only feel ashamed?_ "C'mon, were almost home, you need some rest… And so do I."

 **Q:** The trainee is gonna be like the old Link isn't he? Stone cold and emotionless.

 **A:** I think this chapter answers that ;P (But he's certainly not emotionless.)

 **Q:** I was gonna write a whole paragraph but I can sum things up in one sentence: Why was the hammer dropped hard on Link?

 **A:** It's a figure of speech, like; I catch ya drift. ;P


	6. The Path Before Them

_Chapter Six, The Path Before Them_

"Breathe. You must control your breathing, and focus on one thing at a time."

 _Yes. Breathe._ She inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly.

"Think about what you want to accomplish. You must be single-minded in achieving your task. Start small, direct it towards your hand, feel the energy flowing through your veins, and allow it to exit your fingertips."

She inhaled again, she felt it stir within her core. It was oddly calming, yet otherworldly. She held out her hand, and closed her eyes. She imagined the energy running through her veins like a river, trickling down to her palm. She paused, _which way do I go?_ She jolted back, her moment of hesitation sent the sensation fleeting back up her arm, to her elbow. _Stop._ She commanded, to herself. _Focus._

"Don't lose your way, imagine it spreading through each finger."

She drove it forward again, until it reached her palm, she could feel the heat. She imagined it splitting into five, branching out from her hand and into to her fingertips. Her eyes closed tightly. "It's there. What next?"

"Push beyond. Let it fill the empty space before you."

She inhaled, and exhaled again. She spread her hand wide, pushing the energy from her fingers, feeling the warmth radiate out.

"Good. Don't stop, hold it there. Now, what do you want to do with it?"

"I want to form a barrier."

"Okay. Then allow it to extend past your hand, let the induvial divisions come back together. Imagine it filling the gaps."

She thought about how it would look, how it would feel. She determined It would look like small puddles of water, all flooding together. She Imagined at each fingertip the energy would stretch out with small limbs, connecting to one another, and then flood the gaps in-between. Once it was unified, she focused her effort on enlarging it, letting it wrap around her. She could sense it. The same warmth in her hand expanded outwards, she could feel it encompass her.

" _Open your eyes."_ Her mother's voice was muffled and quiet. She slowly opened her eyes, surrounding her was a barrier of golden light. On her hand, she could see the Triforce shining brightly.

"I can see it." She gasped in relief. She felt the barrier retreat a little, but she regained her focus, and pressed it out further. She turned her attention to the bubble that encased her, while it was mostly clear, she could see gold and white streaks dart past randomly, and small sparkling specks dotted the barrier. She grinned, _They… They look like stars in the night sky._ _Stars…_ Her grin quickly dissipated when the memory of that night on the bridge returned; _his_ deep blue eyes, they shone brighter than any stars she had seen. That small moment was all it need, the barrier cracked and collapsed around her; the energy shot back up her arm, leaving only the cold to seep back in. Her mother flashed a look of concern.

"What's wrong, my dearest? You were doing so well."

She couldn't speak, no matter how hard she tried. "I'm sorry…" is all that stammered from her lips. She was too terrified to tell her, even though she wanted to. All she desired was comfort, not this unbearable silence. Her mother strode over, placing her soft hands on her cheeks.

"What is it darling?"

Zelda felt tears welling up in her eyes. She tried to hide them away, she felt embarrassed that she still couldn't control her emotions. "… It's, nothing. I'm sorry, it just got away from me. I lost my focus."

"It looked like a lot more than just losing focus." Her mother ran her soft thumbs under her swelling eyes. "You went from gleefully smiling to holding back tears all in an instant. Please tell me, I can help you my darling."

Zelda felt a tear run down her face, she couldn't stop it. "I don't even know how to start." She looked down at her feet, trying to hide her eyes. "I shouldn't even be this caught up in it." _Why does it still hurt so much?_

"What's happened? What has upset you?" her mother implored, leading her over to a small stone bench in the garden. It was a strange scene; such a beautiful garden, full of vibrantly colored flowers, rich green grass, the breeze drifting through the rustling trees, scattering the warm sunlight that poured through the canopy, blissfully swaying its warmth across the ground. And yet there was the Queen's daughter, miserable looking, fighting back long withheld sobs. Zelda didn't answer, struggling to compose herself. "You've been so melancholy as of late. Why haven't you told me what is wrong?"

Zelda couldn't hold it back anymore, she had suffered to long alone, she needed to let it all go. "Promise you won't be upset."

"Of course not, my dear," her mother replied, a small smile passed her lips.

"I… The reason I've been so upset is because I've lost my closest friend, and I don't even know why." She stuttered, her tears flowed freely now. "No. Well. I know why. At least I think I do, but…"

"Link?"

 _She knew? But I guess it wasn't the most unobvious thing._ Zelda only nodded, wiping her tears away. She waited to see if her mother would respond, but she was only met with a warm hug and inviting silence. "Every so often, when his friend was on guard duty, he would slip away from the barracks is the middle of the night and come to visit me. He would climb the tower to my study." She laughed a little, in a broken bittersweet kind of way, continuing: "He got very good at it. We would spend hours out on the bridge between my room and study. Looking at the stars, talking, laughing. He was such a sweet, kindhearted boy, he even once brought me flowers that I still to this day don't know how he found. He made me feel special, so cherished." She looked into her mother's eyes. "Not that you and father don't make me feel cherished, but it's just… it was different. I know it was inappropriate to allow him up there, but I didn't care. I trusted him."

"Did he ever do _anything?"_ She asked in an urgent voice

"Goddess no. He is too honorable for _that._ The only ill thing he ever did was tell terrible jokes!" She laughed earnestly through her tears, thinking about his awful, yet entirely endearing firefly joke. It brought back a wave of lost emotion. _I could listen to those terrible jokes forever_ , she thought to herself. "At any rate, he must have been caught sneaking around. A few months before his graduation he stopped visiting me, without saying a word. At first, I dismissed the idea, thinking that maybe was just too busy, since he was the trainee's Company Lead. But with each passing day I grew more worried that he would never return… And he never did. When I finally saw him at his graduation he wouldn't even look at me, he avoided me. I finally caught his eyesight once while they were celebrating, but all he did was smile politely and bow his head, never saying a word." Her tears returned in full force, as she looked away again. "I knew what he meant. It was a forced smile, but I could see the truth in his eyes."

There was a long silence. Zelda waited in dread to hear what her mother would say. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest. "You love him, don't you?" she finally said, in a voice calm as the breeze. Zelda's throat felt dry, it was painful to admit.

"Yes."

Her mother sighed, and wrapped her arms tighter around her daughter. "When my father first appointed your father to be my Knight Escort, I was furious with him. I couldn't believe that he would force me to be followed around by some knight who never said a word, and seemed to have simply stumbled upon greatness without a day of hardship or trial. I was jealous that he took on his role so easily, while I had slaved away day after day for years in attempt to unlock the sealing powers that eluded me. At every failure, I took my anger out on him, and cursed his name. And yet despite my poisonous and malicious words, he would silently bear these burdens with nothing more than 'yes my lady' and 'no my lady' ever crossing his lips. Time and time again he put himself in danger to save me, when all I had ever done was mock him and tear him down." The Queen let out a small youthful chuckle. "It took me ages to admit it to myself, but I found that I was falling madly in love with the boy I once despised. I never dreamt that It would have been because of him that I ever unlocked the sealing powers. Even after he awoke from his century long slumber, and had all but forgotten my name. He ventured tirelessly to fit the shattered remnants of his memory back together, holding on to nothing more than a broken hope. Still, he rescued me. And together we sealed away the beast that destroyed our home." The Queen pulled her daughters chin up with her finger and spoke almost in a whisper. "It was because your father stayed true to his oaths as a knight, as my protector, that I even survived. I tell you these things now because I want you to understand something. Sometimes, those we love to take a vow of silence because they believe it is their sacred duty to carry _any_ and _every_ burden on their shoulders without regard for their own feelings or desires. No matter how much it breaks their heart. I have no doubt in my mind that Link has shut himself away from you, not because he doesn't love you, but because he believes that being with you is a violation of his oaths."

Zelda considered her mother's words carefully. "But there are no longer laws against royalty marrying common men like in the old days. Why would it be a violation of his oaths?"

"Well, let's consider the situation." She tucked Zelda's shoulders under her arm and began to slowly rock. "So, Link snuck out of his barracks at night to visit you correct?" Zelda nodded in response. "Would it not be logical to assume that doing so would be in direction violation of his orders? The trainees are not permitted to leave their barracks during the night unless given permission to do so by their captain."

"I suppose, but then why would he shut me out even in public?"

"Think of it this way, or put yourself in his shoes if you'd rather. Imagine that you are a sworn knight of the realm, and it is your job to stand guard at your post by the castle gate from sun rise to sun down. You are directly ordered to never leave your post, as it is your sole responsibility to ensure the safety of the city. Then, what if the Princess of the realm, the only one you love, asks that you accompany her on a walk. For many men, it would be impossible to refuse the requets of their Princess, but you, the loyal knight would kindly refuse, as it is your sacred duty to be the watchman of the gate. It would be paramount for you understand that no matter how much your heart desires to be with the Princess, leaving your post would allow anyone, _any enemy_ to enter the city unchecked and unchallenged. Your failure could be the downfall of the city, and the death of its people. It is therefore required of you to shut yourself away from the Princess, even if it breaks both of your hearts."

Zelda was quick to rebut, defensively saying: "But I would never ask Link to abandon his post. He could still remain faithful to his oaths."

"Yes, but you see, you already have, my dear. By allowing him to visit you in secret, you opened the door for him to abandon his post. You are just as guilty as he is. In your heart of hearts, you both knew that it was wrong to meet in the night like that. That is why you did it in secret." The Queen's tone was strict, but was ever kind and understanding. Her reasoning was infallible. The rush of guilt crippled Zelda, _so it is my fault? How could I have been so stupid._ Her eyes started to water again, _if only I could have been wise enough to see._

Her voice wavered as she asked the question she hoped would never cross her lips: "So there is no hope? We are doomed to be separated by duty forever?"

Her mother sighed, her green eyes shone in the light of the garden. "I cannot say with surety, my dear. Only time can tell. But don't lose heart, there will always be hope… Besides, your father and I are almost certain of it now."

"Certain of what?" Zelda asked. _What a strange statement_.

The Queen looked at her daughter with somber eyes. "That he has the Spirit of the Hero within him. That he is destined to take up your father's sword."

"What!?" Zelda gawked in angry disbelief. "How could it be so soon?"

"We're not sure. But the signs are too obvious. Too coincidental. A young boy of golden hair, bearing the Hero's name, is presented to the King in an act of courage. We wanted to deny it too, but _his_ return seems inevitable."

"Then that means-"

"That you are destined to seal him away. Like I once did. Ever since that fateful day, my powers have faded into to nothingness, a shadow of its former glory. But I see the strength within you, my dearest. Already you have come so far in your training, I couldn't be prouder of you."

"But mother… I'm not ready," she pleaded.

"We rarely ever are, my dear. But you won't be alone. If what we fear is true, then your fate, and Link's fate are wound tightly together."

Zelda didn't know what to say. It was a shocking revelation, it felt as if her stomach would flip. Would it truly be so soon that the beast that decimated her mother and fathers land could return so soon? That it would destroy the home her parents fought so hard to rebuild? There was only one aspect of the scenario that brought her comfort. _If this must happen, then I'm glad that I will have Link at my side. And I will be at his, always. Even if duty separates us for now._

"Zelda, you mustn't tell Link, he has to focus his mind on the path set before him. You must swear to this."

* * *

A loud pinging noise rang out with every strike of the hammer. Link's father was hard at work re-forging a broken plowing blade, he seemed to pride himself on knowing exactly what caused it to break in the first place, muttering: 'whoever the fool of a blacksmith was that forged this plow apparently did not know the importance of properly tempering blades, it was much to brittle.' Link was sitting on a small wooden stool in his father's workshop, he could feel the heat of the charcoal furnace from several feet away.

"Father, were going to be late." Link said impatiently.

Without looking at his work his father responded in a slightly distracted manner. "I promised Mr. Hagen that I would have his plow repaired and back to him by this afternoon. I intend to keep my promise. As an honest man should, eh?" He hammered a few times more, holding the blade up to check for straightness. "If you're so eager to get going then why not come help an old man." Link chuckled a little, another one of his father's quirky jests. Link stood up and walked over to the anvil, awaiting instructions. Link used to help his father regularly in his youth, learning the art of heating metal to the perfect temperature for forging, among other things that his father was obsessively compulsive and absolute about, but it had been years since he swung a hammer.

"I'll hold on to it with the tongs if you would strike it there," he said, pointing along the edge of the blade. Link lifted the hammer, ready to begin striking the bright orange metal before being interrupted by his father: "Ah Ah Ah! Hammer it at an angle. If you bevel it in the early stages of forging it will save you a lot of time while sharpening." Link grunted amusedly, and adjusted himself to strike it at an angle. He started at the base of the blade, and worked his way down to the tip, as it curved slightly. "It seems they taught you how to swing pretty good. Your strikes are on point and true. You would have made an excellent blacksmith, I have no doubt." His father chuckled. They set about reheating the blade, and performing the same process again on the other side. His father then took it and plunged it into a barrel of water, pulling it out to ensure it didn't warp in the heat exchange. "Ah, welp. Looks like it is good and straight. We'll have to come back to grind and temper it later, but for now we can close up shop."

Link made sure he packed up his torn undershirt, and brought it with him, as he planned to drop it off at Ariel's home for mending on their way up. He was at odds with himself on the matter, since he still felt awful for the night before. And yet he couldn't shake the feeling. The yearning for her companionship. Regardless, he said he would swing by, so he intended to stay true to his word, _like an honest man would, eh?_ he repeated to himself. They made it down the street, close to where Ariel's home was when Link mentioned the quick errand he needed to run. As he expected, his father's face lit up with his now commonly occurring mischievous grin.

"Mend your shirt huh? Don't stay to long now." he said, raising an eyebrow.

Link squinted at his father, but did not respond. Normally, he would have just walked into the little two-story home, as he had always done when he was younger when Jonathan still lived there, but it felt strange to do so now, so he instead knocked on the front door. On the other side, he heard running footsteps and Ariel shouting 'I'm coming!' The door swung open, Ariel's face had a big grin from ear to ear.

"Good morning, Link! Come on in!" She ushered him in, taking him by the arm. "Mother isn't home, she went off to Market Square, but she'll be back soon enough." Without saying anything else Ariel grabbed the shirt from Link's hands, and began to inspect it, finding the large hole that was located at the shoulder seam. She walked over, half skipping, to a small wooden draw, and began to take out her sewing supplies. Ariel continued to dig around the draw, all the while speaking. "You can take a seat by the table, I don't have any food prepared, but I believe mother is bringing back some fruit back with her from the market, if you're hungry!" Watching her fiddle about was very amusing, and Link couldn't help but grin.

 _Goddess this is going to be harder than I thought._ "I'm sorry, I actually don't have time to stay. I'm taking my father to the physician at the training yard." Ariel's face turned downcast, despite her effort to hide it.

"Oh. That's too bad, I was hoping we could talk some more." This statement fell considerably quieter than her earlier exuberant rambling.

"I'm very sorry," _guilty and embarrassed more like,_ "This is my only chance to get him in." Link felt bad for disappointing her. Despite his better judgement, he promised that when he returned he would stay for a while. He regretted it immediately. _Hylia have mercy on me,_ is all he could think. At this promise, Ariel's face perked back up, responding with a cheery 'Okay!'

His father still had the same mischievous grin by the time he returned. Link could sense his old man getting ready to crack another joke or look, but he simply maintained his grin as the continued walking.

* * *

The physician was a short, fat little man, and had a balding head. Link distinctly remembered the first time he met him, after Craig had given him a nasty cut on his ear during a sparring session. Link reached up to feel the scar. _Yep. What a jackass._ His curse was relatively light hearted now. He held Craig in higher regard now that they were older. He was undoubtedly still a _jackass,_ but at least he was not as violent or malicious anymore. Training had molded him into a much better man than he would have been if he chose another profession.

"So what seems to be the problem?" the Physician asked.

Link's father started to open his mouth, when Link cut him off: "He's been having coughing fits. They often get bloody."

"And how long has it been like this?"

"For nearly a year now." Link's father responded.

"Hm. And just recently is when you started coughing blood?" the physician asked?

"Yes sir."

"Alright, allow me to look," without asking, the physician grab his father's jaw and began to peer inside. His prying was accompanied by a series of nods and grunts. "Well, I don't see anything from here, but if your coughing up blood, it is likely an issue further down. I can't say for sure. I will give you an elixir that should help suppress the coughing. Hopefully that will allow whatever's there to heal undisturbed. I would keep an eye on it, but don't concern yourself to much for now. Call me again if something changes." Link and his father thanked the physician, with which he curtly responded 'welcome.' Before they left he gave his father a small bottle of a strange looking orange liquid. It smelled awful, but the physician instructed to drink a small mouthful every morning and night until it was empty. The physician then excused himself and promptly left.

"Well," his father started, "He says its nothing to serious. Hopefully he's right."

"Me too…" Link replied lost in thought.

Link stayed this way on their whole walk back home. Every disaster scenario was running through his head, and he was trying to figure out an answer for each one, to no avail. He found that the issue was an endless spiral of "what if's." He was only pulled from his thought when his father interrupted asking:

"Are you not going to stop by Ariel's? To pick up your undershirt?" Link looked up and realized he had already walked a block past her home.

"Yeah. Sorry." He responded shortly.

His father laughed, "It's not me you have to apologize to, I'll join you!"

"But don't you have to get back to work? On Mr. Hagen's plow?" Link asked, in honesty not wanting his father's shenanigans to get involved with the _delicate_ situation.

"Ah, I have plenty of time! Its only just now time for lunch." His father winked as he sauntered over to Ariel's home. With a quiet sigh, Link picked up his pace and caught up to his father.

Angela called out merrily to her guests, inviting them in. Ariel had already finished mending his shirt, which was neatly folded up and sitting on the table. Link thanked Ariel, but kept his words short and concise, as always. She pulled her brown hair over her ear when he thanked her.

"Link, would you and your father like to stay for lunch? Mother bought some lovely food from the market."

Link opened his mouth, stuttering, wanting to accept on one hand, but fought the urge. His father first cut him off announcing that they would love to join in, announcing:

"I am quite famished!" with a big grin, raising his eyebrow at Link.

 _The plow!_ "Father, you said you had to have Mr. Hagen's plow done by this afternoon. Don't you need help?" It was a quick tactical strategy to get out of lunch.

"Ahh. True." Relief hit Link, but was quickly dashed. "But I'm more than capable of completing the rest of it on my own. Why don't you stay here and eat with them? I will be at the workshop finishing up my work. I won't mind a bit!" Upon reflection, he now wished his father would have stayed instead. At least he would have someone else. Before he could protest his father was already out the door, whistling jollily down the street.

 _Shit._

Angela set about preparing lunch for them, pulling out a large cast iron skillet. From within her shopping basket, she pulled out two large Hyrulean Bass. _Maybe this lunch won't be so bad,_ Link thought to himself as the nostalgic smell of cooked bass entered his nose. As Angela slaved away in the kitchen, Link and Ariel sat in the little dining area, talking about this and that. Their conversation did not flow as easily as it did the night before, an aspect that seemed to make Ariel a little nervous, but she pressed on. Link tried to keep his answers limited, while not seeming rude. It was a delicate balance, a balance he assumed he would have learn to master going forward.

"Oh!" Angela exclaimed seeming upset. The upset came at the perfect timing, breaking an awkward silence in their conversation

"What is it mother?" Ariel asked.

"I forgot to buy hearty radishes. Would you mind running back to the market for me? I'm sure Link would be happy to go with you." Ariel's ears turned red at her mother's remark.

 _Even she's on my father's side! Maybe it was planned._ As with almost everything in his life now, he found himself split between two extremes that divided his mind. One hand the idea thrilled him, but on the other he knew he had to stay resolute in the choice he made the night before. He realized that both women were staring at him, waiting for his response. He cleared his throat, acknowledging the awkward moment.

"Yes! Sorry, lost in thought." Ariel smiled, clearly pleased with his response.

Ariel lively buzzed about the street, taking long strides to keep up with Link, she was a bit shorter than he was, so she had to work harder to make up for his long steps.

"I love going to Market Square and seeing all the different races and tribes, it's always so vivacious and exciting!"

Link chuckled, "You know, I remember when you were much younger, you would barely say a word, and now here you are walking about saying such wonderfully _vivacious_ words." He paused mentally, _was that too… much?_ Ariel laughed boldly, graciously accepting his compliment. _Yeah. Too much. But I'll let it slip._

"And I remember when you would talk nonstop like my brother. And now I have to pry words out of you." She clasped her hand behind her back, swinging her hair over her shoulder. "Except your compliments," she added as a quiet side note, a flirtatious grin on her lips. The two voices in Link's head were shouting at each other now, listing their reasons, but he didn't want to hear any of it anymore. He simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled humoredly.

"That's what I mean!" she jabbed his arm with her finger. "You say something out of the blue, then follow it up with complete silence. I thought you said _I_ was the shy one."

"Well… I go back and forth." _The delicate balance. The delicate balance._ Ariel just looked at him quizzically, as if waiting for more.

"Well, I wish you would say more, I miss the way you used to talk."

 _Yeah, me too._ "Guess being a Knight does that to you." They continued their walk, until they turned the corner, hearing the familiar crowded chatter of Market Square. Ariel picked up her pace, excitedly walking towards the market. Link watched her as she skillfully weaved her way through the crowd, visiting the various booths. A Gerudo woman called out to her, saying 'jewelry for the fine lady?' To which she politely declined. Ariel wandered the market with childlike wonder. After a few minutes of searching they finally found a vendor that sold fresh produce, including hearty radishes. She passed the owner a few rupees, and placed three large radishes in a small cloth sack. Link stood a couple yards back, watching the scene, when he heard hooves striking the pavement behind him, and he heard a familiar voice beckon to him. He turned around saw the one person he equally hoped, and dreaded to see. Princess Zelda. She wore black riding pants, and a simple yet eloquent blouse. Next to her rode none other than the King.

"Link, is that you I see?" The King shouted in his booming voice. As he walked his horse over, the inhabitants bowed their heads as a show of respect and carried on about their day. When the King and his daughter approached Link, he bowed dutifully.

"It is good to see you well, your grace." He turned to Zelda, who had a bright smile about her. _Is she happy to see me?_ Remembering his earlier established _delicate balance_ maxim, he finally said the first words he had spoken to her in months. "It is good to also see you, my lady." _My lady,_ he repeated to himself as he bowed his head. He had forgot how soft and sweet her voice was, when she replied politely,

"As I am glad to see you." Link looked up into her ensnaring eyes, and had to pry himself away.

"Have you heard word of your orders yet?" the King asked.

"I have not, your grace. Although I believe they will come within the next few days," he replied.

"Have you been spending time with your father? I would be disappointed in you if you didn't," the King laughed.

"Yes, your grace. Almost exclusively." Link was suddenly aware that Ariel was at his back, too nervous to introduce herself, she lightly tugged the at the back of his tunic.

He cleared his throat, "Your grace, this is Ariel, she is one of my neighbors. Her brother was my closest friend growing up, he now serves at the Akkala Citadel." Ariel curtseyed, trying to find words to say.

The King addressed her, "It is a pleasure to meet you Ariel. I'm glad to see Link is maintaining his chivalrous duty and escorting such a fine lady around Market Square." Link didn't want to look, but he felt Zelda's eyes on him, _she must think… Oh. Goddess._ When he finally felt her gaze leave him, he shot a glance at her, she was visibly upset. He knew exactly what she was feeling, she must hate him. Leaving her with no explanation, now seeing him with another woman. He wanted to explain himself, explain that it wasn't like that, but he couldn't, not with the King there. Then it occurred to him that it maybe _it was_ exactly how it looked, that he was there with a suitable lady, one he had been fighting off feelings for. Guilt tore at his heart, his only solace was knowing that Ariel wasn't the real reason he stopped seeing Zelda. _But what does it matter, that's what she thinks the reason was, I must be a repugnant being to her._

"It is a pleasure meeting you, your grace." Ariel replied, then she turned to the Princess, "As it is a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I've always heard rumors about your beauty, I'm glad to see they are true!"

Zelda regained her composure before the King noticed, and thanked Ariel for her kind compliment. Ariel seemed to mentally note her strange behavior, and looked at Link for possible answers. He had a similar look on his face.

"You requested to train as a Knight of the Royal Guard didn't you, Link?" The King asked.

"Yes, your grace. Captain Kerrigan said I had a good chance of being accepted." Link replied.

"I can guarantee that you will be. I will speak the Captain when I see him."

Link's face lit up, good news is what he needed. "Thank you, your grace. You have given me a great honor."

"Certainly. Skills like yours can be worth its weight in gold. I'd much rather you live up to that potential instead of being hindered by lower duties." The King turned to Zelda, taking notice in her discomfort. "Well, it was a pleasure seeing you again, Link. And a pleasure meeting you Miss Ariel. I'm afraid we have important business to attend to that is time sensitive."

"Of course, your grace. May Hylia smile down on you." Link bowed his head as the King left. When they were a sufficient distance away, Link started walking back to Ariel's home.

"Hey, Link. What went wrong?" Ariel asked, running to catch up to him.

"Nothing. Why?" Link's lie was convincing. Even he was surprised by how real it sounded. Ariel was disgruntled by the whole situation, but Link sounded so sure, she thought that maybe she was just projecting. Link was silent the rest of the way back, despite Ariel's attempts to coerce a conversation. Their lunch (that was practically dinner at that point) was uneventful, to the displeasure of Ariel and her mother, but Link couldn't find it in himself to put on a happy face and pretend to feel any certain way. Link ended his day like he did almost any other, chanting to himself the three same words, and thought about how he failed to embody those words in every way.

Honesty , kindness, and courage.


	7. Progress

Author note: Hello friends! I enjoy reading everyone's reviews and feedback, you guys are the reason I am excited to write every single chapter. Big things are heading this way in the story, so keep an eye out. Don't forget to favorite this story so that you know when I add chapters, which I will do regularly. I plan on expanding the world more, and get in touch with the world of BOTW we all know and love. Can't wait to share it you everyone! Thank you again, and enjoy this next chapter!

 **-Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter seven, Progress_

" _Where in the world did you get these?" Zelda asked._

" _Wouldn't you like to know," he responded jestingly._

" _Well, thank you, they are lovely." She batted her eyes at him intentionally just to watch him blush. Sure enough, like clockwork the tips of his ears turned red, and he bashfully laughed._

" _I didn't know what type of flower is your favorite, so I just grabbed whatever types I could find, I thought it would make a fitting birthday present for you."_

 _Zelda giggled a little, "If you could have found my favorite flower within the castle walls, I would have been truly speechless."_

 _He eagerly leaned in, "What type is it? What does it look like?"_

" _It's a wildflower called the Silent Princess. It is my mother's favorite flower too, she says it carries a significant symbolism of growing stronger when you are allowed true freedom. Unfortunately, we have never been able to grow it domestically, it can only flourish out in the wild. Thus, it is a precious treasure to behold, a beautiful flower with white petals, that fade into a rich blue towards the center."_

" _Well, maybe I will find one someday out in the wild, and I'll bring it to you." he responded resolutely._

" _Certainly not! I would hate for you to pick such a rare flower for my sake. It is because of their rarity we should only pluck them up for very special occasions."_

" _Well, isn't your birthday a special occasion?" he posed it as a question, but his mind was clearly already set on the answer. Zelda laughed radiantly,_

" _Flattery will get you nowhere, Link, so don't even try!"_

 _A huge grin struck his face, "Mm. I'm not so sure about that, Princess."_

" _And what is that supposed to mean?" Zelda insisted, trying to hide her smile._

 _Link laughed, "To repeat what I said earlier: 'wouldn't you like to know!'"_

Link shot up in his bed. The vivid dream vanished into thin air. He wanted nothing more than to relish in it a little longer, soaking up every detail of that night under the stars with Zelda. Her smile, her voice, the gentle breeze that flew past her golden hair. He felt as if he was leaving the real world, and now was entering a nightmare, a reality of only pain and misfortune.

The sun wasn't up yet, but he couldn't fall back asleep so he decided to stand up and stretch a little. He made his way into the kitchen, looking for something to eat, but was disappointed with what he found; which was nothing. _Oh well,_ he grumpily thought. Once in the workshop, he poured a small bucket of charcoal into the furnace, and lit it, using the giant bellow to bring the charcoal to a bright orange and white heat. He found a small scrap of metal that was thin and long, and he stuck the end of it deep into the fiery coals. They spat out sparks of orange in protest, but settled down eventually. It was not long until the metal bar was completely white and orange from the heat, so he pulled it from the furnace with a pair of tongs, and brought it to the anvil, which sat in the center of the workshop. He used one of the heavier hammers in his father's arsenal, as it allowed him to shape the metal quicker. He had no design in mind, but he did not really care, he just wanted to hit something, _hard._ With every stroke of his hammer, the anvil cried out in a deafening ping as he worked his way up and down the piece of metal, flattening it out into a wide, and thin round shape. He tried to press the events of the previous day from his mind, and focused on his work, but it proved to be a difficult task.

 _Why does it have to be like this? I never asked for this._ The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt. First, he abandoned Zelda, without ever telling her or giving her a reason as to why, shutting her out completely. And now Ariel sought companionship from him, which he knew he could never give to her in good conscious. _If only I had made my intentions clearer from the beginning, I didn't want to hurt her feelings, yet now I've gone and made the situation even worse. It doesn't help that father is forcing me into situations with her._ Link did not know what to do, how could he hope to defuse the situation without stepping on anyone's toes. And on top of all that, now Zelda thought that he left her for another woman. _That's the worst part of it all. Maybe I could have explained the situation better when I saw her in the Marketplace. Maybe she would have understood. Before she saw Ariel with me she looked happy to see me. What if I could've mended our friendship right then and there?_ He put all his strength into his next strike, angry from his lost opportunity. His hammer bounced back, it left an uneven dent in his work, a shockwave shot up his arm. _If only Ariel wasn't there. But I can't blame her, she is innocent in all this, she deserves someone better than me._ Strike after strike, he threw his whole body into it, each resulting in a painful reverb.

"You don't have to strike so hard you know? The metal can be deceptively soft once it is hot enough." Link realized his father had been watching him from afar, he looked concerned.

"Did I wake you?" Link asked.

"Eh, I'm up this early anyways."

"Sorry." He returned to his work, softening his strikes.

His father sighed, "I take it your lunch-dinner did not go very well yesterday?"

"It went fine, what makes you ask?"

"Because no one your age gets up at four in the morning to wail on metal for no reason," his father responded starkly. Link shrugged his shoulders, signaling he didn't want to talk about it, but his father pressed in: "Do you find her to be displeasing?"

Link scoffed, "Not at all. She is a kind girl, but I can't give her what she wants."

"Why not?"

Link placed his hammer down on the anvil, "because I barely know her!"

"But you have been friends since you were children!" he insisted.

"People change over the years, father. I'm certainly not the boy I once was."

"And she has changed just as much as you have. I saw her make you laugh and talk more in two days than I have seen you do in months, despite how much you tried to hide it." His father sounded frustrated. "Why not give her a chance, get to know her better." Link remained silent, stubborn in his choice.

 _How can I? I still love Zelda. How could I hope to make Ariel happy, knowing that I don't care for her like that?_ "I appreciate your concern, but I've made up my mind."

His father sighed disappointedly, "Well I can't force you. But promise me you will at least try to get to know her better."

Link grunted unamused, "Okay... But only if you promise to stop forcing me into situations with her." His father only grunted in response, begrudgingly agreeing. Link continued, picking up his hammer again: "I don't have much time left anyways, my orders should be coming in any day now."

"And until then you will be a perfect gentleman to that young lady, understood?"

"Yes sir," he reluctantly replied. As his father turned to leave, he began to cough violently in the door way. He coughed and coughed painfully until he hacked up a small amount of blood onto his handkerchief. "Have you taken your medicine, father?" Link asked as he walked over to help him.

"No- _cough,_ not yet- _cough cough._ " Link led him inside, and retrieved the small bottle of medicine, and poured him a glass. He drank it, sticking his tongue out in disgust as it slid down his throat. "Goddess, what an awful taste, I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

"Has it gotten any better?"

"Only after I take the medicine. But it wears off quickly I'm afraid."

"Well, just keep it up, hopefully it will heal with time."

Link spent the rest of the morning helping his father in the workshop, lifting heavy equipment and works, keeping the furnace feed and hot. Link even helped hammer and shape a metal cross piece for a carriage assembly. His father remarked that if he should ever retire as a knight he should seriously consider becoming a blacksmith. "You have a natural talent for it, son," he said, beaming with pride. They continued their work until lunch was closing in, both were famished, after skipping breakfast. They paused to go prepare food to eat when an unexpected visitor arrived.

"Good morning gentlemen!" Ariel excitedly greeted the two, holding a small basket. "I see you two have been hard at work."

"Ah, yes. Link here took up the initiative and started working bright and early in the morning, to help me get ahead." His father poked at his arm with his elbow.

"Well that is very thoughtful of you," Ariel replied, smiling at Link. Link simply nodded. Ariel paused for a moment, then began to explain her sudden appearance. "Oh! I forgot to mention, my mother has mistakenly cooked a little too much food for lunch, and so she thought to see if you gentlemen wanted any." Ariel brought her small basket over, and opened it up, revealing a simply yet heaty meal of steamed mushrooms and roasted trout.

"How kind of her, please thank her for us, she always was an excellent cook!" Link's father replied jovially.

Ariel nodded and replied, "I will!" Her statement was accompanied by a following silence, as if waiting, in hopes that Link would say something. When Link did not add anything, Ariel continued her thought: "Well, I guess I should be off. Thank you, gentlemen." She turned to leave when Link's father interrupted,

"Uh, Ariel-," he hesitated and looked at Link, remembering his promise not to drag his son into anymore forced situations with her. "Have a good day!" he continued. Ariel nodded and returned home. When she was out of hearing range Link's father harshly remarked, "I hope you're happy."

 _Of course I'm not happy about it. I feel awful, but it has to be this way._

Their meal was delicious, and they soon felt re-energized and ready to continue their work. They slaved away for an hour or two, wiping away the sweat that had accumulated on their arms and foreheads when a Royal Messenger appeared. He was a young and fair boy, not much younger than Link was.

"Are you Link?" the boy asked.

"Yes," he replied.

"I have your orders here for you. You should open it immediately." Link exuberantly snatched the small scroll from the boy's hands, thanking him for delivering it. The boy nodded and left. Link wasted no time to open the scroll that had been sealed with a small circle of wax, bearing the crest of the Royal Family. He carefully read every line.

"What does it say!?" his father pressed in.

Link's face lit up with a boyish grin. "I've been accepted into the Royal Guard's Academy!" His father laughed jubilantly, and slapped his son on the back, congratulating him.

"Where, when?"

"I am to report to Commander Varin at the castle training yard on Saturday. Says here 'In light of your exemplary performance during your basic training, I would like to personally invite you to train in the newest regiment of Royal Guardsmen. You will be the youngest recorded knight to have joined the Royal Guard, but I have no doubt you will make great strides in training.' It also says that some of my former comrades will joining me as well."

"I knew you could do it! They could not have chosen a better man for the job! We will have to celebrate tonight!" His father embraced his son, laughing loudly, beaming with pride. "How long will your training be?"

"A little less than two years, but it will be much more intense than the training I've had before, however if there's anything I'm confident in, it's training!" _Finally! Purpose, no more mindless wandering, no more torturous silence; a real reason to get up in the morning._ This was the news he was hoping for, he could finally find joy in something again, instead of letting his mind sulk in misery, thinking about _her._

"Let's finish up work here soon as we can, we're going to celebrate at the Inn tonight!"

* * *

The Inn was filled to the brim with weary travelers, guards, and late-night drinkers. Link's father had put a large mug in his hand, telling him 'You're a man now, despite your age, have a nice big drink.' Link took a big gulp and nearly coughed it all up. His father roared in laughter, slapping him on the back.

"It'll come with time. The burn won't always be so bad!"

Dan and Liam were there too. Link was overjoyed to hear that they were also selected to train in the Royal Academy alongside him.

"It's a shame no one else that we know got in," Liam remarked. "But I guess not everyone is ready for that kind of training. We'll be hard a work I'm sure."

"Ah, it's Link we gotta look out for, He'll make us look like fools if we aren't careful," Dan jested, smiling.

Link simply laughed in response. "Just try to keep up, and you'll be fine."

"Cocky words coming from a kid who barely says anything, and can't even hold down his liquor. But he'll be a regular drinking, fighting, machine in no time, just you wait!" Dan and Liam laughed from their bellies, downing their mugs, and slamming them down on the table.

Liam turned to Link's father after finishing his drink, saying: "Has he ever told you about when he single handily fought off three of us at one time? With nothing more than a flimsy shield and training sword."

His father laughed, "No, he hasn't! Like you said, he doesn't say much anymore." He slapped his son on the back again, disrupting his drink.

Dan took over storytelling; "He was giving Liam and I a proper beating, dodging, and weaving like it was nothing more than a childish dance. So, Captain Kerrigan was determined to push him to his limits, so he called over Craig, who was undeniably the biggest son-of-a-bitch in the company, and he threw him into the mix. Now let me tell you, Craig had no love for Link, so he didn't hold back one bit. Collectively we beat Link a handful of times, but then he started darting around the ring as fast as lightning, spinning and diving between us and began to whittle us to pieces. Pretty soon he was turning every situation around on us, making us look like fools, and giving us nice bright purple bruises on every inch of our bodies."

"That doesn't surprise me," his father laughed. "Even when Link was a boy he was always getting himself into situations where he was either outnumbered or fighting someone twice his size, he's been forced to learn how to adapt."

"The man fights like an animal to say the least!" Dan replied.

Link only shrugged his shoulders amusedly, finishing the rest of his drink. It still burned his throat but he was growing accustom to it, _I kinda like it_ , he remarked.

"Well looky there, he's downing drinks like a champ. Like I said, a drinking, fighting machine in no time!" Dan spouted

"And he's already got the fighting part down," Liam added with a jovial laugh.

A small toothy smile was on his father's open mouth, as if remembering a fond memory. "I distinctly remember when he was about seven or so, he got into a fight with this ugly looking boy who stood about a foot taller than him. And although he hit Link so hard that he could've knocked his teeth out, he got back up, tackled him, and managed to wrap himself around his arms and legs. Link held him there for as long as he could and squeezed with every ounce of strength he had. You should have heard the boy squeal as Link pinned him down, he sounded like a trapped boar! I had to tear Link off the poor brute." His head shot back from laughter.

"And what did this brutish kid do to deserve such an embarrassing defeat?" Liam asked, turning his head to Link.

Link shrugged his shoulders, "Eh. He got in my way."

"No, he did much more than that," His father insisted. "His friend Jonathan had gotten into a dispute with the lad, apparently he was bullying his younger sister Ariel. So, when Jonathan confronted him, the brute knocked him out cold, and continued to hit him on the ground, until Link shoved him off."

Long lost memories of that day flooded back into Link's mind. It was the first time he had met Ariel, when the only words she ever uttered was 'thank you,' and her brother's name.

His father continued, with the same open smile on his mouth. "Now the brutes mother was worse than he was. When she saw Link practically strangling her son, she came running over, yelling, and hollering like a banshee! She demanded that Link be punished for 'attacking her son,' but I knew Link better than that; he wouldn't have attacked unless provoked. I tried to calm her down and explain the situation, but she wouldn't hear any of it. She even got the guards involved, demanding that they lock him up to teach him a lesson." His father burst into a fit of laughter, "You should have seen the look on her face when the guards recognized Link, and resolutely took his side in the argument. This wasn't the first time he had a run in with the officials, and they had grown quite fond of him, despite his curious nature."

Dan chuckled, "Seems like you were always looking out for the little guys, even as a kid."

"More like looking out for the big guys, from the even bigger guys. Jonathan was three years older, and much larger than Link," his father added.

"Well, I say we raise a toast for the little guy, looking out for the bigger guys. Let me go get us some more drink." Dan soon retuned with four more mugs, foaming to the brim. They brought their drinks together, Liam shouted "And down the hatch it goes!"

He said goodbye to Liam and Dan as they haphazardly walked down the street in a drunken stupor. Link finally felt lighthearted, or maybe it was the heavy drinking; he didn't care either way. Link awoke the next morning with a slight headache, and spent the day preparing his few possessions, and enjoying his finally day with his father for what would probably be a very long time.

"I'm guessing you won't have much time to visit me?"

"Hard to say. I will undoubtedly have less time than I did during basic training."

"That's too bad. I enjoyed having you around to help me in the workshop, these old bones don't work as well as they used to," his father stated, stretching his arms back.

"Well, perhaps you can hire an apprentice, pass the trade on."

"It's certainly a thought. I'll think about it."

The rest of their day was uneventful, only a small sprinkle of a rain storm being anything of note. As the sun set through the crimson clouds Link and his father enjoyed their last simple dinner together in their cozy home.

"I'll get up early tomorrow, so that I can join you on your walk over, if you wouldn't mind."

"Of course not, I'd be happy if you came along. I'm meeting up with Dan and Liam on my way up." Link replied.

That night, Link found it hard to fall asleep. He couldn't tell if it was excitement, or nervousness that kept him awake. He closed his eyes, trying to let his mind drift off to rest. The events of the past few days ran through his mind repeatedly. Despite how poorly it had all gone, he was hopeful. _Maybe this is a new beginning, becoming a Royal Guard. Maybe I can still make this all right between Zelda and me. I miss her so much, I just hope that she will understand._ Link knew he could never allow himself to return to the way he once was with her, but he knew that he could serve her and her family loyally, even if she grew to despise him. He thought it was odd, but in a way, maybe it would be easier to uphold his duty if she did despise him, at least then he would only have to fight off his own desires, not hers as well. His mind eventually drifted off to sleep, and he dreamt about another night under the stars with his beloved. To his despair however, this dream was over taken by the same ominous nightmare that haunted him from time to time. The same darkness, the same pain, and blood. So much blood.

His father was already up and bustling about by the time Link dragged himself from bed. The sun was only a few minutes from surfacing, so he set about dressing himself in his uniform, strapping his bright sword on his hip. His ceremonial armor was wrapped up in a fine cloth and placed inside a leather carrying bag so that he could easily string it over his back. Before leaving he took a few bites out of some left-over bread, and he and his father set out on the empty road. It was much too early for most people to be out and about, so they did not meet many people in their walk. Dan and Liam were waiting for them in the empty Market Square, where only a few vendors were setting up shop. Link looked upon the silent square. _T_ _his is where it all started,_ he remarked. All four continued their walk to the castle gates together.

"State your names and business." The guard demanded, in a not overly polite voice. They all showed the guard their orders, and he allowed them to pass, except for Link's father.

"So, this is it huh? Another goodbye," his father's voice was quiet.

"Looks like it." They embraced one another, saying their goodbyes, it was a routine they had done before. Link, Dan, and Liam entered the castle gate, it would be the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. They met a few of the other knights that were selected to join the newest regiment of Royal Guards. Some of them were slightly older and more experience knights, others were relatively younger men. Despite this, the trio of newly graduated knights were the youngest in the regiment, Link being the youngest of the three. They cast doubtful eyes at them, but never said anything demeaning. More knights poured in, until their numbers stood to approximately thirty men. Commader Varin appeared after a time and commanded the new regiment to fall in and form up.

"Good morning gentlemen," he began. "For those of you who don't know me, I am Commander Varin, I will be overlooking your training. If this were some other training, I would pass the responsibility of shaping you men up to a lower ranking officer, but we are not training you to be a group of rag-tag warriors, we are training you to be the elite forces of the Royal Guard. I will be plain and straightforward with you all, this is going to be a painful and long drawn process. Many of you will either fail or quit before two years' time. But follow my orders, and stay strong and you will make it just fine. This not basic training, this is the Royal Guard's Academy, I will demand absolute discipline, and I will receive absolute discipline from each and every one of you. No exceptions. Do as you are told, and we will get along just fine." Commander Varin laughed from his belly before continuing, "I think that you will all find me to be an agreeable and fair man, as long as you follow my orders. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they all replied in unison.

"Excellent. We will waste no time, you will be led to your barracks, and you may drop off your armor and weapons, then we will begin your training. You will want to also change into something light, prepare for a vigorous work out."

Link heaved air in and out of his chest, his heart pounded violently. He couldn't remember what mile it was, _four? Five?_ Commander Varin kept a steady pace, he made it seem like nothing more than a leisurely stroll. The only comfort to the pounding pain in his feet and chest was the cool breeze of the wild blowing across his face, that and the country side was beautiful. Hyrule field was a stunning display of rich green grass, colorful insects, and the occasional proud tree. Above them the bright blue sky radiated. As they continued their run, they passed a quaint, small ranch that bred and raised some of the fairest horses in all of Hyrule. They then followed a gravel path that led them past an outcrop of trees that surrounded a ritualistic looking site called the Ceremonial Grounds.

"That is where they performed many ancient rituals and ceremonies before the rise of the Calamity," Commander Varin called out in short breaths. "It was one of the last things they restored while rebuilding the castle."

The castle was a remarkable sight, especially from this perspective. It stood as a beacon of majesty in the open fields. Great monolithic spires of ancient Sheikah design peered out towards all sides of the castle, although they had lost their fluorescent blue glow. Much like all the ancient Sheikah relics, the spires had seemingly powered down, and sat dormant under the aging sun, as a testament to the bygone age. For a moment Link forgot the burning in his chest, looking upon the scenery, as they ran in unison. The regiment was allowed to march, instead of running once they reached the outer wall of the city. Sweat dripped down their faces, but their heavy breathing had finally ceased. They passed though Castle Town on their way back to the training grounds, viewing the busy spectacle of Hylian, Gerudo, Rito, Zora, and Goron people busy about their daily lives.

Once they were back at the training grounds, they resumed their exercise routine, ending their session with several rounds of hand-to-hand combat. Every member was exhausted from their run, but they threw everything they had left at each other. To the surprise of the regiment, excluding Dan and Liam of course, Link was an opponent to be reckoned with. What he could not match in strength he returned tenfold in speed and determination, often outsmarting his opponents into painful submission. If any of them had doubted him before, they certainly did not now. Regardless, they did not enjoy being so soundly defeated by some Castle Town _boy._

Commander Varin sent them off to wash themselves, barely giving them enough time to properly bathe before commanding them to fall back in, dressed in their armor. The Commander spent the next hour meticulously examining every inch of their armor, ensuring that it was perfect. If there was even a single buckle out of place, they would fail the test.

"Gentlemen, in light of the fact that nearly half of you failed your inspection, we will be holding an additional exercise routine after your classes this evening. Everyone will be present, regardless if you failed or not. Until this regiment learns the importance maintaining a flawless uniform, you will be forced to pay for your mistakes with additional exercises, and disciplinary actions. As Knights of the Royal Guard, you must look the part, not a hair out of place, and that takes practice and dedication. For those of you who passed, take it upon yourselves to share the information to your success to your brothers-in-arms. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they shouted.

Link felt at home. Despite the roughness of the training, he loved every minute of it. Order, discipline, purpose. He could finally focus on one goal. No more being lost in thought, no more not knowing what to do; here, in the training grounds, he knew himself, he knew exactly what he needed to do, and how to achieve it. Even in the classrooms, which often bored him as a boy, he found a resolute purpose. He soaked ever drop of information, jotting notes, learning every facet of militaristic strategy, memorizing every fort and road in Hyrule, and studying the history of each race that inhabited the four corners of their land. He was determined to be the best of the best, no matter the cost.

After their late evening exercise, every muscle in Link's body ached, but he knew that with every hardship he faced, he would grow stronger, faster, and smarter. Being one of the few that passed the inspection he graciously offered pointers and advice to his comrades, some thanking him, others scoffing in contempt. _I'll earn their trust, eventually,_ he thought to himself.

"I haven't seen you this lively since we started basic training," Liam remarked.

"It's nice to finally have a purpose again. I've missed the discipline of training," Link responded. Liam nodded in agreeance, smiling smartly.

Training began before sunrise every morning. They would start every day with a long run, lasting roughly four miles, sometimes less, sometimes more. Then they would move on to training the rest of their bodies, heaving great weights, or building up their agility. After exercising, they would train their minds in their small classroom. From there they would practice sword fighting, archery, or some other combative skill, which Link excelled at. It was no surprise that after a week he was promoted to the rank of Regiment Sergeant, and chosen to lead their group. This was to the disapproval of some of the older knights, but they certainly did not want to fight Link for it, they quickly learned that he would beat them on every front. The position would have gone to one of the other knights that had been promoted to Sergeant during his prior service outside of the regiment, giving him seniority over Link, but he had injured himself during a run, and was forced to leave training. Others dropped out as well, and in just three short week their numbers had fallen to twenty-seven.

Time travelled fast, from Link's perspective. Several months had flashed past in what seemed to be merely weeks, but he felt stronger than ever. He could cut through any of his opponents with ease, defeating even combat-experienced knights like they were nothing more than trainee's. Much like Captain Kerrigan did when he was in basic training, Commander Varin often pitted him against two or three opponents at once, but despite their efforts, no one could best their Sergeant.

"We're going to have to look for tougher men to fight you, eh boy?" Commander Varin once roared out in laughter. Regardless of how easily Link could dispatch his comrades however, he never relented in his training, constantly pushing himself to only accept perfection. The sword in his hand felt like an extension of his arm, he could spin it around in a flurry of shining steel, every strike was like the beat of a drum in an intricate dance; a dance that was deadly, and beautiful.

When they weren't practicing combat or spending time in a class room, they were back out in the open fields of Hyrule, leaving behind the humdrum of the city, and traversing into the unknown and tranquil expanses of the wild. It is here that they learned to scavenge what they could use to survive. It was likely they would never have a use for such skills, since their primary roles were to oversee the security of the inner castle, as well as protecting the Royal Family, but as Commander Varin put it: "You are to become the elite forces of our kingdom, it is your responsibility to master any and every skill, you can never know when you will need them. It may save your life, or more importantly the Royal Family's lives someday."

Their training was to last an allotted twenty months, and they had already passed through eight of them when the regiment was now assigned regular guard duties within the castle. Of course, they couldn't simply allow undertrained Knights to stand guard, so every Royal Knight-in-training would be stationed with a veteran member of the Royal Guard, so that they could learn the ins-and-outs of their patrol routes, alarm systems, and defensive protocols directly from the men who stood as sentries. When on patrol they would wear their typical knights armor, as they would first have to graduate to earn the right to wear the gallant armor of the prestigious Royal Guard, which vividly marked by their ceremonious helmets and cloaks of deep blue. Link was always stationed with a stoic individual named Galen, who he estimated to be around the age of thirty to thirty-five. Galen stood a few inches taller than Link, and always looked like he had his jaw clamped tight down, as the muscles in his cheek always looked tense. While on duty, Link and Galen would stand watch over the back entrance to the castle's kitchens. It was not the most prestigious place to be posted, but since there were people constantly coming and leaving, delivering food, disposing of trash, and other necessities of a kitchen, it was important that they were placed in charge of ensuring no one unsavory could sneak in through the back. Every half hour, one of them would walk a quick patrol of the area, checking for anything out of place, and if they had nothing to report, would return to their post. When not baking or cooking, many of the members of staff would take small breaks outside, to catch a breath of fresh air. Link made friends with a particularly friendly cook named Robert, who would often take the time to passionately describe how he would prepare certain dishes. When Link mentioned that on their outings into the wild he would catch and cook fish, but noted how bland they would always turn out. Robert was more than happy to give him a few pointers, and even ran back inside to grab a small sack of spices, which he gifted to Link saying: "I made my own blend of spice, it has a good amount of salt, and cracked pepper, as well as some _other_ special ingredients. You can keep it, see if it makes your fish a little more savory." Link thanked him for the gift, and promised to let him know how it turned out.

As the Knights-in-training gathered more trust among the Royal Guard, they began to allow them into the more crucial positions in the castle. Soon, Link was posted just outside the main entrance of the Castle Library, which was indeed a monumental collection of both ancient and new works, ranging from scrolls and tapestries that dated from thousands of years back, to books that were written in more recent years. It was on his first day in this new position that he saw _her,_ for what seemed like the first time in years. Zelda wore an eloquent gown of blue and gold that flew behind her as she briskly walked towards the library, with her face buried in a small brown leather book. She never looked up from the its pages as she walked to the entrance of the echoing chamber, clearly too enthralled with its contents to look where she was walking. For a moment Link's heart stopped, he wondered if she would notice him, or even recognize that it was him. He considered greeting her, in a manner befitting of his status of course, but decided that it would be presumptuous to do so. So, he remained silent and bowed his head in respect as she passed, but she took no notice. Her shoes clapped loudly on the polished floor of the expansive hall. She proceeded at her normal pace, but once she was a few steps past the threshold of the door she screeched to a halt. Link did not look back, but he could sense her eyes on the back of his head, and the absence of loud footsteps entailed that she had stopped walking.

 _Did she see me?_ He wondered as his heart pounded harder, but it was not his place to intrude, so he remained as still as a statue. Link could feel the tension in the air, his chest grew hot. _Oh, either say something or leave, don't keep me in this awful suspense._

"Link, it's time for you to make your rounds," Galen's deep voice called out quietly, as if cutting the tension with a knife. Link nodded and turned to walk down the hallway. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of her. She stood still, gawking at Link as he left, a small smile shot across his lips, turning his head ever so slightly, so that she might see it.

 _She saw me._ The thought sent chills down his spine. She looked more beautiful than ever. Her vibrant wide eyes, her eloquent chin. Memories flooded back in, but he restrained himself; he had work to do. He completed his patrol, and began to walk back to his post, turning the corner to see Zelda walking straight towards him.

"Link? Is that really you?"

"Yes, my lady," he said, bowing slightly.

"Goddess. You've changed so much since I last saw you, I barely recognized you. You look so much… older, and taller." She eyed him up and down while smiling, his heart was still pumping quickly. "But it's only been what; nine months? When we were in Market Square, you were with-," she hesitated. "Your neighbor, Ariel, weren't you?" After her hesitation, she took on a much more formal tone, clearly guarding her words.

"Yes, my lady. Her mother asked me if I could accompany her to the Market. She's very protective of her, especially because of her age." Link chose his words carefully. He intended to present it in way that would draw attention to the fact that he was asked to escort her, not that he had done it out of his own volition.

"I see. And how is she doing? She seemed like a very kindhearted girl." Zelda maintained her formal tone, it did not have the familiar personality to it that Link fondly remembered.

"Well, I haven't spoken to her since that week, my lady, I received my orders the day after."

"You mean you haven't visited your friends or family in over nine months?" There was a tinge of urgency in her voice.

"No, I have, my lady. I've visited my father on a handful of occasions, as well as Mrs. Tamlin, the one who owns the cuccos."

"And not Ariel? You two seemed close." she asked intently, anxiously awaiting his response.

"I haven't, my lady." _Is it working?_ "Like I said, her older brother and I were best friends as children, but I can't say that _we_ ever got that close." A wave of relief pulsated through his body, Zelda's demeanor changed, he began to hope that she finally realized that he never had a romantic relationship with Ariel.

A small meaningful smile touched her lips, "So I see." The formality in her voice had vanished for a moment, Link could sense the personable cadence of her voice again. _There she is,_ he thought relievedly. He was suddenly aware of a peaceful silence between them, but then remebered he still was on duty.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to return to my post, my lady." Link bowed his head dutifully.

"My apologize for keeping you from your responsibilities." She dipped down a little, in an informal curtsy. She began to walk, but turned for a moment, saying: "It was nice to see you again, Link. I've missed you." Her last sentence fell quietly from her lips.

"As I have with you, my lady." Link could listen to her say goodbye a hundred times and would never grow tired of it, but he ensured that his tone of response was proper and fitting for a knight of his standing. Zelda smiled, and continued down the hallway.

 _It is more than I could have ever hoped for._ He felt at ease now that the disruption between them had finally been resolved. He adamantly reaffirmed himself that he could never allow it to go beyond friendship, but he took comfort in the fact that maybe he could fix the damage he had done.

"Your patrol took a little longer than usual." Galen commented as his comrade returned.

"Sorry, I got sidetracked. It won't happen again." Link responded, taking his position.

" _It was nice to see you again, Link. I've missed you."_

The words repeated in his mind. _And I've missed you, more than I can tell you._


	8. Into the Wild

_Chapter eight, Into the Wild_

She always loved the library. When she was not training with her mother she would spend hours upon hours rummaging through the ancient texts describing the events and happenings of centuries long lost, spending the long summer days lost in piles of records, stories, and diaries. _Perhaps I should start keeping a diary, to journal my thoughts. Maybe it will help me get my mind in order._ She suggested the idea to her mother, who thought it was a wonderful plan, and encouraged her to do so, mentioning that she once kept both a personal diary, as well as a more scientifically centered journal. So, on her next visit to the library she brought a small leather-bound diary with hundreds of blank pages to scribe her thoughts and findings on.

Of all the various texts she read, the retellings of the Ancient Heroes and Hylia's reincarnations (or as she took to calling them: Descendants), were her favorite, always being too intriguing to ever put down. _I suppose I am now one of these 'Descendants,' like my mother, if what we fear is true._ She would often take the texts back to her room with her late at night, so that she could read, and journal her findings in the comfort of her bed. Countless times she awoke in the morning with papers and books scattered across her bed.

Most texts referencing the events that surrounded the Chosen One, and Descendant were either so eroded and faded that she could only make out small snippets of writing, while other scrolls and books had more complete, and detailed descriptions, some even having eloquently painted pictures. The symbolism was always the same: a green clad hero wielding the Ancient Sword, and a deity-like being that bore the mark of the Triforce, or, in some cases only a piece of it. The pictures, as well as the writings would recount the events of an evil reincarnating beast that would rise and ravage the land, only to be sealed away by the Descendant and her Champion. Always together. _I wonder if the all the Descendants of Hylia fell in love with their Chosen Hero?_ She looked up to the balcony entrance of the Library, where Link often stood as a vigilant guard. Admittedly, Zelda found herself visiting the Library more often, just to see _him._ Although, all he ever said as she passed was 'my lady,' bowing his head, but just seeing him, and hearing his voice brought her a rise of excitement. Remembering her mother's cautioning words, she never tried to start a conversation with him while he was on guard duty, as to not distract him, and potentially get him in trouble, but every so often she would catch him in the hallway as he was on a patrol. And in these brief moments, when they were alone, they would exchange pleasantries as Link walked. He never spoke in the personable tone she was once accustom to, he had now taken on a much more formal way of speaking, almost void of emotion, but still polite. He was also so quiet, never speaking unless she directly asked him a question, and followed every answer with 'my lady,' instead of saying her name. He always seemed rushed to finish their conversations. _I suppose it makes sense. He thinks he's slacking off by speaking to me._ She longed to speak with him again in the way they once did, intimately, but she understood the situation, and was not about to make the same mistake again. At any rate, it was obvious Link was determined to maintain his new manner of speaking. _Maybe when I can talk with him when he is not on duty, he will speak his mind freely with me again. Besides, if he truly is destined to take up the Master Sword, whether he likes it or not, we will have to work as a team, as close companions, not an emotionless knight and his princess._ Her mother often told her about how her father once acted when he was a young knight of Hyrule; never showing emotion, barely speaking. Zelda was determined to make sure they would not suffer the same fate, she wanted Link to always feel free to voice his thoughts, even if that meant only in private. _One step at a time,_ she thought to herself.

She felt a little guilty, and foolish when she thought about what transpired between them in Market Square a year prior. _How quickly I doubted his honor and fidelity._ She recalled how heartbroken she was when he saw him with his neighbor, Ariel. The way she stood close to him, and hung onto him confirmed her worst fears, that he had fallen for another woman, but now she understood the situation perfectly clear. He never loved Ariel, he was only there to escort her because her mother asked him to.

" _Like I said, her older brother and I were best friends as children, but I can't say that we ever got that close."_

There was no lie in his voice, she knew that he chosen that wording very specifically to end her suspicions. _Despite how quiet he is now, he does have a way with words,_ she remarked with a grin. _I guess I'm not surprised Ariel fell for him. I'm sure any village girl would love to snatch up such a handsome and kind man._ The idea sent a tinge of jealousy through her, _but they can't have him._ The remark was a guilty pleasure of hers. _Handsome,_ she thought again. Link looked so much more grown up now, even though he was only a month older than she was. His training in the Royal Guard seemed to have aged him dramatically. He had lost his boyish complexion, now favoring a ridged jaw and chin, as well as being several inches taller. His chest and arms were much broader than before, resulting in an intimidating physique. _I guess they don't do all that exercising for nothing._ However, two things did not change: his long blond hair, and bright blue eyes. Underneath all his forced formalism, and silent demeanor, his rich blue eyes shone with familiarity and longing; the same eyes that she still loved.

"My lady, are you all right?" asked one of the head librarians.

Zelda snapped out of her deep trance of thought. "Yes, may I help you with anything?" she asked politely.

"I just wanted to check on you my lady, you have been staring at the wall for quite some time."

"Sorry, I was lost in thought. Thank you, Ellen."

"Of course, my lady." Ellen dipped her head down.

 _Someday, Link. Someday we can talk like we used to. Spend time together._

* * *

 _Breathe. Control your breathing and focus._ He took his stance, and calmly prepared himself. He was surrounded on all sides, not by his comrades in training, but by combat hardened veterans. They circled him like a pack of wolves, rotating their bodies and swords with every calculated step. Without a single word or gesture to their companions, they engaged in a flurry of steel. Link did not think, he acted. It felt natural, as if he was doing nothing more than moving a leg to take a step, and yet he spun and danced about the constant barrage of sword strikes, all aiming true for weaknesses in his defense. Without fail he would contort his body to narrowly miss the blades, or would swing his sword around in a circular motion to block or parry the rest. His shield and sword were extensions of his body, he used it them sparingly to conserve energy, but deployed them with absolute ferocity and efficiency. He waited for his opportunities, and seized them with relative ease, disarming one of his opponents and striking him on the side. He cast his shield aside, scooping up his disarmed opponents weapon, and began to aggressively peruse his remaining enemies. They retaliated in unison, pinpointing potential holes in his defense, but with every swing, Link would meet them mid-way with a resilient riposte. They rotated around him in opposite directions, fighting on two sides. However, in their moments off weakness, he capitalized on their every mistake, soundly jabbing, or slashing at their broken defenses. The regiment watched in awe as this golden hair boy defeated everyone they could throw at him. They knew that across the land of Hyrule, surely only a few were capable of matching his skill, and fewer still could surpass him. When the fighting was done, he thanked his opponents, bowing his head in a gesture of gratefulness.

The regiment fell silent as they hear a slow clapping emanating from the wooden walkway nearby. "Well done gentlemen," They all snapped to attention. "No, please, at ease." The King replied in a kind voice. The regiment, and collection of Royal Guardsmen who agreed to help to help train them all slowly returned to more relaxed stances. "I must admit, I have not seen many men who possess your level of swordsmanship." Although he did not specify exactly who he was speaking to, the regiment all knew who it was the King referred to. "If you would do an aging man the honor, and be willing to spar with me a round or two. I haven't had a chance to really swing a sword in far too long."

"Of course, your grace," Link responded, although he was hesitant. Link, along with the rest of the Knights Order, had only heard stories about their King, who was regarded as the single greatest swordsmen to have ever lived. That was of course when he was wielding the legendary sword of evil's bane; the Master Sword. Regardless, they had all heard the legends of how the Master Sword and its Chosen One shared and inseparable bond, resulting in a union of almost supernatural power. However, the King carried no such weapon today, only a simple training sword.

"Thank you, I haven't had to use a sword since the Battle of Regencia River, so I imagine I will be a bit rusty." A faint memory popped into Link's head, he remembered hearing about that battle in one of his classes during basic training, but could not recall the details of it.

 _Too bad I didn't pay very much attention in class back then,_ he remarked to himself. _Maybe I can read about it someday._

The King took his training sword and flipped it around in his hand a few times, feeling its weight and balance. It certainly was not a legendary darkness slaying blade, but it would do just fine for sparring. With a hint of boyish energy, the King took his stance opposite of Link. The regiment and Royal Guards stared intensely, gawking at what they were about to watch, it was almost too much to comprehend. The two bowed respectfully before they began. Link slowed his breathing and heartbeat, exhaling deeply through his mouth, he was determined to at least defend himself from his fabled adversary. The King eyed Link intently, as if reading his mind; setting their duel into a slow circling rotation. The King struck down with such force and speed it nearly knocked Link on his back. He caught the blade high above his head, deflecting it to his left side, returning the favor by rotating his wrists to swing at his shoulder diagonally. It resulted only in a loud clash of metal; it felt like he hit a stone wall. The King grinned, quickly unleashing a torrent of attacks that Link barely had enough time, or strength to fend off. Despite the white and gray hair that had engulfed his once golden locks, and the deep wrinkles that entailed the story of an aging man, the King attacked with such power and agility that his sword seemed to blend into a flowing flash of light. Link brought his arms in close, allowing him to block the incoming attacks much quicker. He took several paces back, before their swords locked at the hilt. This was Link's first advantage; his back leg was well positioned, allowing him to extend it explosively, thrusting him forward, and pushing the King back into a slight stumble. Now it was his turn to unleash his furry. He struck high and low, spinning his sword in his hand to change his grip, allowing him to attack in unexpected ways. To little surprise, the King blocked every strike, but Link could sense his waning strength. Determined to press his youthful stamina as an advantage, he relentlessly perused with attack after attack.

The two warriors went back and forth, neither seeming to be successful in besting the other, until one defining moment. The King was on the retreat, still holding his own, but suffered brutally relentless strikes from Link, and in a slight of hand, Link locked the guard of his sword with the King's, and twisted his arms, wrenching it from the King's grip. The sword flew a few feet away and clattered on the pavement. Link's heaved in air through his mouth, it was a strenuous task, but he stood victorious before his King. The training yard was dead silent, and he saw a few knights mouth the words ' _holy shit.'_

The King laughed through his heavy breathing, finally catching his breath enough to say: "Well done. I'm certainly not as young as I once was, but you beat me fair and square. I congratulate you!" The King bent over, gasping for air, still laughing a little. "Whew. Well, good luck on your training, although at this rate I don't think you need luck, you will find success regardless." After a strong handshake, and laugh filled goodbyes, the King took his leave, glad to have finally itched his urge to fight. Link still could not believe what he had just done. _I actually beat him… Obviously he is growing old, and he wasn't using the Master Sword, but I still beat him._ The rest of the day, his comrades seemed almost scared to talk to him, although some of them offered nervous congratulations, including Dan and Liam.

"I still don't know how you did it. I've never seen anything like it," Dan stated during lunch.

"I feel like I need a drink, I got tried just watching it!" Liam laughed. Link dwelled on the matter in his mind. He could not shake off a strange feeling he had about it. When he was fighting, it felt like something overcame him, an indescribable force. _I can't put a finger on it…_

"Let's go gentlemen!" Commander Varin shouted as they neared the mile marker. They were split into groups of five, carrying an enormous log on their shoulders. Their muscles burned and ached, but they had grown accustom to the pain, learning to push past the mental barrier that separated them between success and failure. Their numbers had dropped drastically, only fifteen members remained. Link's group was in front, he pushed and encouraged his comrades.

"C'mon, were so close. You can taste the victory," he shouted back, picking up his pace. Commander Varin allowed them to drop their log first, since they won first place, but the remaining teams had to hold their log above their heads for an additional two minutes since they had lost the race. There were no hard feelings between the teams, they all held each other in mutual respect. After over a year of shedding blood sweat and tears together, the regiment had formed a bond of brotherhood, although their numbers were few, they were in it together.

"Alright gentlemen, fall in, and stand at ease," Commander Varin ordered. "We will finish up training early today, to give you lads a break, because in the morning we will be heading out early by wagon." The men looked at each other slightly as if asking each other ' _what for?'_ "Tomorrow you will all begin your Trial. Now this trial will last exactly thirty days. no more, no less. Each of you will be dropped off at a different designated locations, and then you will continue your travels on foot. Your task will be a straightforward, but difficult to achieve. You are to remain in the wilderness for thirty days, however, you will not be given any tools, weapons, or food. Only your travel tunic, cloak, and a waterskin. It will be in your best interest to scavenge for food and shelter while you are out there." The Commander paused to give the regiment time to absorb the information. "You will not be permitted to leave your area, and upon the completion of your thirtieth day, you will return to your drop off point at the same time of day you were left there, for pickup. Stay true to your training and you will make it just fine, but keep in mind, you will be miles from civilization. Should fail, or injure yourself, there will be no one to help you. But pass this test, and you will be deemed ready to graduate as fully sworn Knights of the Royal Guard. I have faith in every one of you." The Commander concluded his speech, "Link, you may dismiss your men."

"Yes sir," he replied, and dismissed the regiment.

Once they were back in their barracks, the regiment prepared what they were allowed to take for their supposed _test_. Their travel tunics were well suited for both warm and cold climates, as it was heavily layered, allowing them to add on or remove as much the weather called for. They also had large black wool cloaks that had a heavy hood. Their cloaks served as a nice barrier between them and the elements, as well as making an excellent blanket at night. The land of Hyrule was still transitioning from a cold winter, but warmer winds from the west brought more favorable days. It still grew cold at night, but at the very least, the days were warm enough. The regiment shared one last hearty meal together that morning for what would be the longest span of time they would be away from each other in nearly two years. After their breakfast they boarded a rickety wagon that would take them out into the wild. They left through the East Castle town gate before the sun rose, and made their way across Hylia River, traveling past the Lanayru Wetlands. They dropped off a few men in the Necluda region near the Dueling Peaks, giving them exact directions and boundaries of the separate areas they were to stay in, then continued down south, crossing over Lake Hylia. From there, a band of men were sent west to the Faron Grasslands and toward the Gerudo desert, and some closer to the southern shores. One by one Link watched his comrades pile out from the wagon, splitting off in different directions to their designated areas. Only Dan and two other knights were left from the original fifteen men. They continued down their path until they reached the border of Faron Woods.

"Link. This your stop," Commander Varin called over his shoulder. Dan and the others shot looks of worry at Link.

Dan tried to dispute, "But Commander, ever since the fall of Calamity Ganon, those woods have-,"

Commander Varin cut him off: "Been infested with foul beasts, I know." He looked a Link and nodded. Link said nothing, but hopped down from the wagon and made his way to the front where Commander Varin was sitting. "Now, you will follow this road for a few miles, passing through Faron Woods, until you reach the Floria River. From there you will head north into the heart of Damel Forest. There should be a winding river that snakes through the center. Stay in that area. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Link replied confidently, turning to leave.

"Good lad… Oh and Link, good luck." The Commander sounded serious, he was well aware of the danger of the situation. Dan was right to worry about Link's designated area. Ever since the fall of Calamity Ganon forty years earlier, the many foul beasts that had run rampant across the land began to be forced back by the newly reformed Hyrulean people. While their numbers were drastically cut down, many of the beasts sought shelter in the Faron Region, and formed a horde in the depths of Damel Forest. Many years earlier, the King had tasked his men with invading the forest and weeding out the remaining monsters, but it only ended in a terrible defeat, costing valuable men and resources. The beasts had been cornered, and it was kill or die, and they were determined to stay. The surrounding areas that had once been peaceful settlements had now been abandoned and evacuated due to constant raids and killing sprees. Despite the kingdoms great success in regaining the land it had lost, the Faron region was the last surviving testament to the cruelty the Calamity Ganon had unleashed on the world, too dangerous to conquer without immense bloodshed. This was a great loss for the Royal Family, as they had lost access to one of the ancient springs dedicated to the goddess Hylia, the Spring of Courage. In addition to that, the Queen had also found mention of an ancient being or spirit that once dwelled in the Faron region during the time of the long lost Faronish people. It was referred to as the 'Caretaker,' in the ancient texts of the royal archives, but due to the infestation that grew within the confines of Damel Forest, she never had the chance to properly investigate it.

When Link entered the forest, the driver of the wagon leaned in to whisper in Commander Varin's ear, saying: "You can't be seriously sending that boy in there with nothing more than his own two hands? We lost nearly a hundred men in those woods all those years ago."

The Commander grunted with furrowed eye brows, whispering back so that the other knights could not hear it. "I know… It's madness. But it was the King's orders. Hylia help the poor boy."

The forest was darker than he expected, the foliage blocked most of the sunlight. The road he traveled had become over grown with trees and grass that it was difficult to traverse. He proceeded with caution, looking for anything he could use as a weapon. After walking for a half hour, he found a sturdy branch that was straight enough to be used as a staff. _A trusty stick. Just like old times,_ he chuckled, recalling the events of the rabid dog incident when he was only ten. _Almost seven years ago… Feels like it's been longer._ He went further in until he spotted a decrepit bridge over a small flowing river. _Floria River._ He approached with caution, examining both sides of the river to scout out any potential threats. When he was sure it was safe, he ran across the bridge, taking carful steps to avoid falling through. The path had become so overrun with vegetation that he lost the road several times, and had to back track. When he was sure he would be center with Damel Forest, he turned left, heading north. It was quiet, too quiet. He eventually came across small ruins of ancient hewn stone, carved into the shapes of a dragon's head. _No doubt to resemble Farosh,_ he remarked, recalling a lesson he had about the ancient dragons that watched over the land. It was said that their scales made for some of the strongest armor, but he never heard of or seen any such armor. He continued his trajectory until he came upon a small lake, that funneled into a narrow river, that bent drastically. _That must be it_. It was late evening by then, and the sun was starting to set, so Link began gathering supplies he would need for a fire, and to craft a weapon, as well as find an easily defendable position to shelter in. He found more ancient ruins, which resembled a broken wall that was pressed against a ridge of the mountain side. At the top of the wall, the earth behind it had been eroded away, making a concave structure, and the tree that was above it had large roots that shot out to the ground below. _That will do._ After gathering a small bundle of wood and twigs, as well as a few mushrooms, he carried his materials up the side of the wall, clambering on the large stones that had fallen from the structure. By the time he managed to light the fire by friction burning a dry piece of wood with a small narrow stick, the sun had set completely and his little campfire was all the light that was left. He kept it small, hoping to avoid unwanted attention, but so far, he had not run into trouble. He roasted the mushrooms on the fire, until the charred a little on the edges, and chewed down on his measly meal. He then spent his time sharpening the end of his staff with a thin rock, bringing it to a sharp point, sticking it in the fire for a minute to harden it. Once he was confident in his set up, he leaned against the soft earth around him and faced outwards, towards Damel Forest, spear in hand. His eyes grew weary and he began to drift to sleep, until he heard something snap. He shot up, heart pounding, spear ready, peering into the pitch-black forest. There was something approaching, he could hear two steps, then a pause, two steps, then a pause. The moonlight shone through small holes in the foliage above him, and that is when he saw two beady eyes reflect in the light.

 _A Bokoblin._ He had never seen one before, but he had seen paintings and descriptions of them. Bokoblins were smart. Not as smart as Hylians or any of the other races, but they had instinct, drive, and strong senses. The fire had long since died out, so he knew it could not see him, but he knew it could smell him. As the Bokoblin approached the wall, a glitter of moonlight shone off its crude, jagged blade. _I need that,_ he thought to himself. It was the only beast he saw, as he strained his eyes to search for its companions, but it seemed to be alone. Link decided that he would wait for it to come to him, and then he would use his height advantage to plunge down on it and hopefully kill it silently. The Bokoblin approached cautiously, sniffing through its pig-like snout. Link leaned over the edge of his cove, and prepared to drive the spear into its head. When it reached the base of the wall Link leapt down, with his weapon pointed at its head, he felt the stick glance off its thick skull and dug deep into its shoulder, driving it several inches downwards into its soft reddish skin. The beast screeched out in pain, dropping its sword. Link quickly grabbed the blade and lobed its neck in half, silencing the pained cries. He was on high alert, fearing that a score of the beasts would converge on him. The night was silent. All he heard was the gentle breeze and the occasional cricket.

 _Maybe it was alone. I need to dispose of the body. The smell will draw attention this way._ Link set about dragging the limp body by its wrists. It smelled awful, and its skin was rough. He had only made it but a few steps when Link's worst fear came true. In the dark of the night, he saw and heard the approach of more Bokoblins. Their incandescent eyes danced in the moonlight, _one. Two. Three – eight,_ he counted the pair of eyes that stared at him from afar. Countless more bleak eyes began to pop up all around him, he could hear their low grumbles and grunts. He was surrounded, except from the direction of his shelter and the lake north of it. He drew the sword he had looted off the dead bokoblin, and inched his way back. The menacing host of eyes creeped forward, he could hear their claws scrape against the shatter stones that once served as a roadway for an ancient people. _There must be at least twenty of them… There's no chance I can beat them all._ Without a second thought he bolted to his right, running at a full sprint through the forest, dodging under branches and cutting through bushes. The horde of monsters that chased him screeched loudly as they perused their prey. Link could hear one panting behind him as it closed the gap between them, eventually leaping forward and tackling Link. They tumbled in a flurry of claws and sword. It rose its claw to cut at Links chest, but luckily, he grasped unto the hilt of his sword and cut down the foul creature, driving his weapon through its chest.

It wasn't long until he was at the shore of the small lake. _I have to throw off their scent._ He could still hear the bokoblins close by, rustling through the forest, crying out in a unified angry shriek. _They must have found their dead comrade,_ he thought as he dove into the cold lake, kicking his way to the river ahead. The water chilled him to the bones, soaking his cloak and making it a heavy burden around his neck, but he endured. He hid himself behind a grouping of ragged rocks further downstream, treading water as he watched the lakes shore from afar. The horde of bokoblins emerged from the forest in angered fits, trying to find the lost scent. Under the bright moonlight, they searched all along the lake for their prey, but he was nowhere to found. Somewhere from deep within the forest echoed out the faint screech of one of their companions, signaling that it had found the scent. The horde all snapped and craned their long necks towards the forest, and then galloped off to continue their hunt.

 _For such dangerous beasts, they are quite stupid,_ he thought to himself relievedly. When he was certain they were gone, he swam to the bank of the river and pulled himself out, grabbing onto tendrils of grass. His boots squelched in the mud as he jogged further downstream, searching for a suitable place to hide and sleep. On each side of the winding river stood the same ancient stone structures he had seen earlier that day, many inscribes with hieroglyphics, and towering depictions of dragon heads. One such statue served as a great way to climb up onto the higher ground above him. When he reached the top, he found himself on a heavily forested knoll, with lofty trees. _I guess my best bet is to climb on of those, and get off the ground._ He determinedly began his climb, gripping onto low branches, and pulling himself higher into the canopy of the jungle. Once he discovered a suitable nook that he could rest his back against, he let his legs swing down freely. He removed his soaked cloak and hung it spread out on a nearby branch so that it would dry faster. _It's going to be a miserably cold night, but at least I won't be getting eaten by bokoblins._ He also removed his boots, pouring out the water that had collected in them. His sleeping situation was horribly uncomfortable, but there was nothing that could done about it that night, so he pushed his discomfort aside and tried to catch some sleep. The forest had grown quiet again, with only the gentle swaying of the tree to rock Link to sleep, sword clutched closely to his chest.

"Day one," he sighed. "twenty-nine more to go." Sleep overtook him, despite his shivering.

The following week remained uneventful. He had not run into any more bands of bokoblins, which he was grateful of, but he did not want to press his chances. And so, he snuck everywhere he went, sword always looped through his belt. Finding food was easy, Damel Forest was lush with vegetation and small game. On one luck day, Link was able to kill a small heron that swooped in towards the river below, nailing it in its delicate skull with a well-placed rock. He cooked it on the river bank, away from his base camp, so that he could quickly extinguish the fire with water and run back to relative safety. When Link was not hunting or savaging, he spent his time weaving a large hammock made from tree branches and sturdy vines. While at ground level he tested its durability and weight capacity by hanging it from a low branch. Once he was satisfied that it would hold his weight, he ascended to his resting place in the trees, stringing the hammock between two large limbs. He had a healthy concern for his safety, so he ensured that the anchors were well secured and that there were plenty of branches below to break his fall, should the hammock break. _If it means sleeping more comfortably, it's worth the risk,_ Link thought to himself as he stretched his aching back and neck. This was the moment of truth. He shimmied out towards the hammock, and hooked and arm and leg on the side of it, pulling himself up into his finely crafted _bed._ With a sigh of relief, he nestled into the surprisingly comfortable hammock, rejoicing in the support it provided, and reveling at his carefully honed and trained craftsmanship. _You know, for all the fuss they made about this place, it's not so bad. Sure, the neighbors are a little rude, but the food is great and the beds are comfortable._ Link grinned a little, but it dispersed when realized how utterly alone he was. _Could go for some company however… Not that I would say much anyways, but just having someone nearby would be nice. I wish Zeld-._ He stopped that thought dead in its tracks. _No. It wouldn't be proper. A serious violation of the boundaries set by my position._ He forced the desire down, shunning his momentary weakness. _Besides. I'm just a lowly knight, a nobody. She should marry…_ Even the thought of the word hurt. _Marry someone of noble birth, or_ _of better social status._ He was ashamed that he would even think of any possibility of _their_ union. _What could I even hope to offer? Goddess, why am I so weak willed? Why can't I push out these foolish fantasies?_

" _You will not speak to her unless directly spoken to, and only respond in a way that is befitting of your status. You will crush whatever foolish ideas of love you have in your head. And you will keep your mouth shut."_

Captain Kerrigan's words looped though his mind, the sting of shame and embarrassment was still there. He scoffed at his recent failures in this area. _That day, at the Library, when I saw her for the first time in months, I wanted her to see me. I wanted her to follow me. I wanted to talk with her alone. How could I have been so weak? Why do I go back and forth so easily? But at least she's not angry at me anymore, I can be grateful for that, at least._ A sad reoccurring thought returned to his mind, however, one he hated. _But then again, it would be easier to uphold my duty if she despised me. As unbearable as it would be._ The sun began to set, its golden rays barely visible through the rustling leaves. He sighed. _Day eight. Twenty-two to go._

* * *

Princess Zelda could feel the power rushing through her. The symbol burned brightly on her hand.

"Excellent. Now prepare to fire, and lower your barrier. Bring it back up as soon as the bolt leaves your hand."

Zelda nodded, focusing her effort on summoning a bolt of energy in her right hand. When she could feel the pointed beam reach her palm, she looked ahead at her target; a lone brown clay pot. She gauged the distance, and planned accordingly. _Breathe._ She inhaled, then exhaled, dropping her barrier, casting the bolt of energy from her hand, immediately bringing the shield back up as soon as the bolt traveled far enough. With a loud crack, the pot shattered into hundreds of pieces, satisfyingly clashing on the floor. _I did it!_ She jumped with joy.

"Perfect, my dear!" Her mother congratulated her with a warm hug. "It brings my heart great pride to see you learn so quickly. When I was your age, I could not sense an ounce of the power within my body, and yet here you stand, so capable."

"Yes, but you didn't have someone to teach you. You had to learn it all on your own," Zelda retorted.

Her mother grinned, "I suppose. But at great cost." Her voice had fallen to a somber tone, haunted by memories of her past. "That is why it is important that you must dedicate everything you have into strengthening your mind, and strengthening your bond with the sealing powers."

"Of course, mother! I promise."

Her mother smiled sweetly, "Thank you, dearest… I suppose that is all for today. You are free to go." Zelda grinned, and lightly kissed her mother on the cheek. She briskly walked to the great wooden doors that lead to the outer corridor. "Where are you running off to so quickly?" the Queen asked amusedly.

"The Library," she responded.

"Ah. To study… or perhaps run other errands?" The Queen smiled mischievously. Zelda's ears turned red.

"Ehm… Yes, to study. And attend to other things as well," Zelda responded bashfully.

The Queen laughed a little. "I'm afraid you will be disappointed. They left early this morning to begin their Trial of the Wild."

"What?" Zelda asked urgently.

"They are nearing the completion of their training, as it is customary. They won't be back for a month."

"I see." She paused. "Still. to the Library I go." Zelda sounded disappointed.

She turned to leave when her mother made one last remark. "I'm glad to see you two have mended the situation. But I urge you to remember what we discussed."

Zelda nodded, "Yes, mother."

"Good."

Zelda walked down the hallway, passing the various corridors and rooms of the castle. _Does he still love me, I wonder? It's so hard to tell, with that silent façade he's pulled over himself. But then again, he_ _ **wanted**_ _me to know that he wasn't in a relationship with Ariel. That's got to count for something, right? But I doubt he will say anytime soon. Maybe he just needs encouragement._ She grinned playfully, _I can give him that. But only at the right time, of course, when he is free from his duties. Maybe… Maybe father will appoint him to be my Knight Escort. Maybe then he will believe it to be appropriate to share his mind, openly._

She reached the entrance to the Library, and sure enough, Link was gone, in his place stood an unfamiliar Royal Guard. _I'm sure he will be okay out there. He has to be._

* * *

 **As always, thank you guys for your reviews, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **-Written In Bold**


	9. A Worthy Challenge

_Chapter nine, A Worthy Challenge_

He awoke to a small bird flying overhead. It perched itself on the branch to his right, pecking at a small twig, as if trying to tear it off the branch. He stirred a little in his hammock, which startled the bird, causing it to sporadically flap away, cawing as it went. His stomach growled, his supper of river snails the night before was not sitting well in his stomach, making him feel sick. _Water. I need water._ He reached for his waterskin that hung on a small branch nearby, only to find that there was a small leak, allowing all the water he gathered the day before to seep out. He sighed with frustration, reluctantly pulling himself from bed. His stomach churned in protest as he clambered down from his tree, coming to fruition in vile tasting vomit. _Maybe I didn't cook the snails long enough. They tasted bad going down, but they're worse coming back up… Doesn't matter anymore, I just need to get water._ His stomach ache subsided a little now, as he climbed down the stone dragons head to the gently flowing river below. He carefully searched the embankments before proceeding, to ensure that no monsters awaited him. Ever since his first night in Damel Forest, he had not had any more conflicts with the horde of Bokoblins that rummaged through the forest. He recalled on night he could hear them far below him on the jungle floor, scurrying through the tall grass in search of food. Luckily, they could not smell or hear him, since he was so high up in the trees, and so he managed to remain undetected, avoiding conflict.

He reached down to scoop up a handful of water, bringing it to his mouth, but paused as an idea came to his mind. _It might have been the water that made me sick… But I have no way of properly boiling it._ He looked at his leaking waterskin, as a plan formed in his mind. "That might work," he thought to himself, releasing the small amount of water he cupped in his hand. He gathered small twigs and branches and started a small fire on the riverside, placing three large smooth stones into the hot coals. He continued to feed the fire, until he was sure the stones were hot enough. Using the crude sword, he stole from a the Bokoblins, he cut the thin end of his leather waterskin, allowing it to open widely. He then located the source of the leak; it was a small hole along the seam near the opening. _I'm in luck. I can still fill it up a little more than halfway, I just have to be careful not to tip it over._ He stooped down to the river, sticking the waterskin in, filling it with clear water. He brought it back to his campfire, careful not to spill any, and using two long sticks as makeshift tongs, he grabbed two of the smooth stones that were submerged in the fire, and dropped them into the opening of his waterskin. The water boiled and simmered as the heat from the stones produced a warm steam. _It's not perfect, but maybe it will purify the water._ He waited for the water to cool, before drinking the warm water. The warmth helped calm his stomach a little, which he was glad of. _Maybe I can make a hot stew with this technique? It would be worth a shot, I have nothing better to do._ He sighed, _fifteen days left._

He spent the remained of his day by the river, scouting further downstream, eventually changing his goal to catching the small fresh water fish of the river using a newly fashioned spear. He was successful in killing one small trout, _looks like its fish for dinner. Again._ He tasked himself with skinning it, which proved to be difficult with his dull blade, but with determination he fashioned himself a delicious fish skewer. He cooked it on the fire until it charred into a light brown color, and sat down to enjoy his supper. _It would go nice with a pinch of salt, maybe some spicy peppers. I should have brought Robert's special spice with me._ An image of the friendly cook popped into his mind, _maybe he could give me some more pointers on cooking when I get back home._

When his stomach was satisfied, no longer churning, and felt rehydrated, he stomped out his little campfire, turning to return to his treehouse. He spotted something sticking out of the water. _A turtle maybe? A snake?_ He squinted his eyes as he examined it closer. _No, that's a-,_ before he finished his thought he drew his sword and dashed against the wall in hopes of hiding himself. He heard a loud splash and then a loud thump as _it_ landed on the river bank. The Lizalfos was primarily a rich green color, with specks of black scales, and beady little eyes that darted to and fro. _It saw me. If it gets close I can overwhelm it, but I have to be fast._ He steadied his breathe, tightening his grip on his sword. He peaked around the corner of the stone structure he hid behind when he heard an arrow whiz past, striking the pavement behind him. The Lizalfos had a large bow in his hand. It prepared to fire at Link again, but before it could draw it back, Link rushed at him, trashing his sword towards its head, but it was fast, and ducked under the attack, leaping backwards several feet. The beast drew its sword, which was sharply curved, and sprinted at Link. With relative ease, he blocked its incoming attack and retaliated before the beasts regained its footing. It shrieked in pain, but he soon drove his blade into its jaw, silencing it. He scavenged its bow and small quiver of arrows, stringing both around his back, then jumped into a sprint back towards his tree. It was no good, he could see more ominous horns floating down the river towards him, they had heard the shrieks. _Downstream it is._ He set into a fast run, vigilantly scanning the river before him.

"Shit," he exclaimed as he spotted the menacing eyes of Bokoblins above him on the stone walls that trailed alongside the river. They had bows, and began to fire relentlessly at him. Arrows flew past him, front and back, but he kept running, dodging them as best as he could. One arrow grazed his calf, and he felt warm blood ooze out. _Keep running._ Some Bokoblins leaped into his path, and without stopping he cut them down or shoved them into the river to his right. _Goddess, I wish I had a shield._

As if _She_ had heard and answered his prayer, a silver Bokoblin stepped in his path, bearing a crudely crafted wooden shield. _Not exactly what I asked for, but I will take it._ The silver Bokoblin put up a much better fight then his comrades, but he managed to wrestle it to the ground, disarming it and driving his sword into its chest, but that only after sustaining a painfully sharp claw to the eyebrow and cheek, one that barely missed his eye. Blood fell into his eye, but he wiped it away with his free hand. He took its shield and held it to his head to protect the incoming swarm of arrows. _Either I'm really lucky, or they are terrible at aiming,_ he chuckled to himself as he ventured on. He ran for a few minutes longer, when he suddenly found himself in a wide open circular valley. Ahead of him, arched a monumental structure which resembled an open dragons jaw. A colossal tree grew above it. He gawked in awe for a moment, but saw movement in his peripheral. On both his left and right he could see countless Lizalfos, Bokoblins, and a handful of towering Moblins. He shot back, ready to retreat, only to see his path cut off by a band of angry lizards. _And more are pouring in,_ he remarked reluctantly _._ He thought this spelled the end for him for sure, but then something odd occurred. None of the monsters attacked him, they just stood there, gnashing their teeth, and growling loudly. _Why aren't they attacking?_

He found this answer to his question in a most terrifying manner. Heavy footsteps echoed behind him, he turned his attention to the opening of the dragon's mouth; there it stood. It must have been at least eight feet tall, and had a dark flowing mane. It had the body of a horse, but the torso of what resembled a man, and some twisted combination of vulgar beasts for a face. Its large hooves clopped on the broken pavement beneath it. On its back hung a massive sword, that looked like a glorified meat cleaver. The beast calmly walked unto the soft grass before it, roaring loudly at the sky, offering its challenge. Link grinned, although he did not know why; perhaps it was an ironic smile. _If I die today, it might as well be putting up a fight._ Determination flooded his body from deep within himself. _This! This is what I have been trained to do, raised to do._ He drew his sword, a fierce battle cry leaving his mouth, and charged forward to answer the beasts challenge. The Lynel drew its sword galloping forward, reeling back to swing at its opponent. Instinct took over and Link rolled out of the way, narrowly missing the vicious attack. The Lynel looped back around, preparing for another charge. Link dodge the attack again, this time running his blade along the beast's side, drawing warm black blood. The Lynel roared in anger, leaping at Link unexpectedly and knocking him aside with a swipe of its arm. He flew back head over heel, gasping for breath. Before he could even stand up the Lynel was already above him, bringing its heavy sword in a downward strike. He rolled to the side, slicing at the beast's legs, which seemed to have momentarily stunned it. With all his might, he leapt onto the Lynel's back and began hacking away with his sword. It reached back and grabbed Link, digging its claws deep into his abdomen and back. Link screamed in pain, he could feel its claw penetrating his skin, leaving a gaping hole. It cast him aside, strutting triumphantly. Link kicked away, drawing his bow, and knocking an arrow. The beast grunted, readying itself for a final charge. However, Link's well-placed arrow drove into its neck, and stopped the Lynel in its tracks. It cried out in pain, tearing the arrow from its neck, flaring its nostrils in a show of rage. It roared loudly again, only to be cut short by another arrow in its eye. In a last attempt at victory it lazily swung its sword at Link. He managed to sidestep it, but stumbled from his wounds. The Lynel snatched Link up with its left hand, bringing him up to gnaw down on his head, but instead only tasted the sting of metal. Link had driven his blade deep into the beast's mouth, digging it into the base of his skull. Blood poured out everywhere as the Lynel collapsed dead, dropping Link. He hit the ground hard, unable to break his fall. He felt something crack in his leg. He screamed out in agony, cursing the damned beast. With what strength he had left, he looked around him, seeing the monsters that perused him running in terror.

He lay dormant on the ground next to the slain beast, grimacing in pain. He clenched his jaw to stop from screaming, as he tore open his tunic, revealing a gruesome wound on his stomach. Blood poured out uncontrollably. "I… I have to stop the bleeding," he told himself in broken words, holding back tears. It untied his cloak, and wrapped it around his waist, cinching it down on his wound as tightly as he could. He applied pressure to the hole, his only goal was to stop the bleeding for now. He felt light headed, on the verge of passing out, but he shook his head. _No! I have to stay awake._ He laid back, sucking in air through his mouth, every breath bringing a new wave of tormenting pain. Despite his best efforts he began to lose consciousness. The world blackened before him.

" _You're meant for great things, Link. I just know it!"_

 _He laughed, "Thank you. As I am sure you are to become a great leader. A truly worthy queen."_

" _Well, that is certainly the goal at least. Although, no queen is complete without a loving king beside her." She grinned._

" _I will let you know if I find anyone fitting of that description," he replied with a squinted eye and one-sided grin._

 _She laughed. "Please do! Although, it sounds like you already have a candidate in mind."_

 _ **Was I really so bold back then?**_

* * *

The pale moonlight illuminated the ground. A stench arose from the dead Lynel, it made his sick to the stomach. Dried blood was all over his body, primarily around his stomach; it soaked his wool cloak. The bleeding had stopped for now, but the pain was still unbearable. Somewhere from over his right shoulder a bright light shone forth. It was a strange sight, a small luminous ball of bright white light floated above him, its rays fluttering wildly. It traveled down his arm, eventually hovering over his stomach. He flinched as it landed on his abdomen, but to his surprise felt a wave of relief course through his body. _What is this… Thing?_ He could not tell, but whatever it had done, relieved nearly all of his pain. The bright light began to flutter away, and Link was determined to follow it. Clumsily he stood up, leg still aching from his fall. He limped forward, leaning on his sword in his pursuit of the bright light. It led him away from the center of the coliseum-like structure, to the western wall. He treaded through shallow water until they came upon what seemed to be a large stone door carved into the ruined walls. _Why is it taking me here? There's no way I can open that thing._ He opened his mouth to call out to the small orb, but was cut short when the great stone door creaked and grumbled. The earth shook as it slowly began to sink into the ground, revealing a solitary staircase that lead into the side of the mountain. The orb gracefully floated downwards, illuminating the path before them. _Well. This thing seems like it's trying to help me… Maybe I should follow._

Commander Varin would have scolded him for so quickly trusting an unknown ̶ _thing_ so quickly. _What choice do I have? If I stay out there, the monsters will come back for me. I wouldn't stand a chance._ With a nod of determination, he plunged into the depths of the mountain side.

It was cool and damp in the tunnel, his footsteps echoed deep within the chamber. The Orb that flew before him maintained a steady pace, pausing briefly when Link would stumble. The foot of the staircase led to a stone archway, which in turn lead to what Link held to be one of the most spectacular sights he had ever laid his eyes on. He stood at the entrance of a grand cavern. Above him hung down great stalactites of luminous stone, casting an ethereal cyan glow about the cavern. Great roots sprawled about the cavern, weaving in-between the glowing stones above. At the center, there was a shallow spring of crystal clear water. Link approached the spring, dipping his bloodied fingers in it. It was comfortably warm, and streams of red blood washed away from his hand. He struggled to stand again, feeling the effects of whatever the Orb placed on him wearing away. In the middle of the spring there stood a mound of what appeared to be a glassy black stone pillar. Cracks ran up it, revealing a pulsating array of blue and white lights pouring out. A high-pitched humming noise rang out from the pillar, and he could see the segments of shattered stone shaking and pushing out. _Something… looks trapped. Inside that thing._

Unsure of what he should do, he looked at the Orb that brought him there. "What do I do?" he asked earnestly. He heard no response, but the Orb floated over to the sword that he held in his hand, then floated above the pillar of obsidian. He tightened his grip on the sword and inched forward. He placed the tip of the blade in-between two large plates of stone, attempting to pry it apart. If was a painful task, he could feel the dried-up blood beginning to crack, new blood seeping out, but he persisted. Finally, a large piece fell away, and a bright ray of light shot out. He dropped his sword and began to use his hand to break away the remaining pieces until it all crumbled away. Underneath the stone, whatever it was, looked to be something similar to the ball of light that led him there, although it was much brighter and swirled in a circular motion. The Orb above him descended upon the mass of light, erupting into a flash of blinding light. Link covered his eyes, stumbling unto his back, pain shooting up his body.

The light eventually dissipated, after taking on a rich green hue. Stood before him now was an otherworldly being, translucent, yet physical. It was indescribable. This _being_ looked like a Hylian woman, but was much taller, and appeared _tree like,_ her arms and legs almost resembling slender and shapely branches _._ Link had heard myths and stories of strange creatures that manifested their spirits into physical forms to the likes of Hylian's, but were in truth sentient, living, breathing, trees. He was lost for words, wide mouthed in shock.

In a voice as soothing as a summer breeze, the being called out to him: "Thank you, weary traveler, for freeing me from my bonds…"

Link stammered, "Wha ̶ What are you? Who are you?"

"Caretaker is what they used to call me. But I have a name," it calmly responded.

"What is your name?" he asked timidly.

" _MiarindÍl_ …"

 _MiarindÍl?_ The name was so foreign to him, it had a very specific accent. _Who is this person?_ His head was swimming in pain, he felt faint again; his wounds were taking its toll.

MiarindÍl rose a slender hand to him, saying: "Rise, my savior, and tell me your name."

Link struggled to stand, leaning heavily on his arm, head pounding and vision bluring. He made it up on one knee, preparing to push himself up. "My… name is Lin-," before he could finish his name the world went dark around him again, and he collapsed in the warm water.

" _Hold on, savior, I will heal you."_

* * *

Dim cyan lights glowed above him. Everything was so fuzzy, he struggled to keep his eyes open. He lifted his head to look down on his bare stomach. _What!?_ The festering wound he thought would be there was almost nonexistent. In its place was only a sensitive scab, no bigger than his thumb, and the pain in his leg was completely gone. He reached up to feel his left brow, feeling a long scab that ran from above his eyebrow, down to the top of his cheek. _I'm just glad it didn't scratch my eyes out,_ he sighed relievedly.

"I must apologize. I could only heal your wounds so much. It has been thousands of years since I've been able to use my powers, and it had taken its toll. Had I been able to use the full extent of my powers, you would bear no scars." MiarindÍl's voice was soft, like a whisper.

Link looked over to the incandescing being. _Caretaker, she mentioned she was once called._ "What is this place?" Link finally asked.

"This… is my spring. A healing spring. But for over 10,000 years it has been my prison."

"10,000!?" Link gawked. "Who imprisoned you?"

MiarindÍl paced forward, almost floating, kneeling next to Link. Her eyes were strange, they shone a cyan color, but were ever changing, seemingly depthless. "My own people," she replied in a pained tone.

"But why?" he retorted.

"Because they believed they were keeping me safe. Their hearts were pure, but their minds were… easily swayed and manipulated." She began to re-inspect his wounds, ensuring that they were healing properly.

"Keeping you safe from what?"

She remained silent, still inspecting his wounds. Link opened his mouth to ask again, but she cut him off, saying: "A great evil. An enemy I never saw. Only heard mention of."

Link racked his brain for memories. _10,000 years… 10,000 years… Wait._ "The first rise of Calamity Ganon?" _I'm glad I remembered something from my history classes._ It was a story they hear time and time again. The first rise of the Calamity happened approximately 10,140 years ago when the Divine Beasts were first built. Then the second rise only began one-hundred and forty years prior, being sealed away by their new King and Queen after a century long battle. They then spent the last forty years rebuilding Hyrule to the state it was at now in the present day.

The being craned her head up, looking into his eyes again, "Yes… That was its name."

"The beast has been sealed away. Twice actually, in over 10,000 years, the kingdom has been at peace for forty years now."

Her ears perked up, "Has it now? I am glad to hear it. Are you the brave hero that has sealed away this beast?"

 _Goddess no, I could never be that strong!_ "No, my King did, when he was a young knight, alongside my Queen."

"You hold these two in high regard?" the being asked amusedly.

"Yes, eh Miar- Miran-,"

"MiarindÍl," she interrupted. "But you may call me Caretaker, young savior."

"Young savior?" he asked. _Why would she call me that?_

"Was it not you that broke away the stone that entrapped me?" she retorted.

Link said nothing, only nodding slowly.

MiarindÍl smiled kindly, "Then you are my savior."

Link said nothing, he only unconvincingly nodded again.

"Such a quiet boy, for one who confidently battles Lynels and lives to tell the tale."

 _You saw that!?_ "Well. I would have lost. If you hadn't healed me," he paused. "Which I am very grateful for, my lady."

She laughed kindly, " _My lady?_ I have never been called that before. Is that customary in your kingdom?"

Link could not explain it, but the remark brought a tinge of embarrassment. "Yes. And no. It is customary to refer to royalty, and nobility by my lady, and my lord."

"I am neither royalty, nor nobility," she insisted. "You may call me Caretaker, or MiarindÍl."

"Yes, Caretaker," he replied curtly, in a dutiful tone.

MiarindÍl tilted her head slightly, "Do you always speak as such, young savior?" Link stared bewilderedly at her. She noticed his expression, and reiterated her question. "You speak as if it is not your own tongue."

"Forgive me, my la- I mean, Caretaker." He cleared his throat after his slight slip up.

"There is nothing to forgive, young savior. It was merely a question of the heart."

 _What does she mean by that?_ Link, however, only nodded in response. His stomach growled loudly, _when was the last time I've eaten?_

"Forgive me, young savior, you must be starving. You have been asleep for quite some time." MiarindÍl left his side, disappearing suddenly. Link would have asked how long he was asleep for, but the emptiness of his stomach was a clear indicator that it had been at least a day.

 _Would it be fourteen days, or thirteen days left now? I suppose I will have to ask how long I was asleep._ Without a word or noise, MiarindÍl reappeared with a fine platter of fruits and vegetables. Link tried to restrain himself from eating pigishly, but he was starving, and took larger bites then what was considered _appropriate_.

"I never learned your true name, young savior, before you passed out the day before yesterday."

 _Ah. So, thirteen days left. Was I really out that long?_ "It's Link, Caretaker."

"Link," she echoed. "A strong name. I once heard of a brave warrior of the same name, many years ago, before I was imprisoned."

"Yes. My mother wanted to name me after the ancient heroes of our people," he replied after swallowing a mouthful.

MiarindÍl knowingly observed Link. "You look just like your mother."

Link froze. _What did she say?_ He looked up at her, eyes filled with shock and skepticism. "How do you know?"

MiarindÍl smiled, "I saw it. When I was healing you."

Any tone of formalism he displayed before vanished, "What do you mean!?" His tone was harsher than he expected. "I don't even remember my mother. She died, when I was born."

Concern shot across MiarindÍl's face. "Forgive me Link. I did not know. I only know what is shown to me." She paused momentarily. "Although you may not remember it, my powers allow me to see someone's past, and their present. But only in small glimpses. Usually, whatever possess a person's mind, and thoughts the most, are the easiest to see. Be it loved ones, greatest fears, regrets, desires. It is all out of my control."

Link regained his composure, "Can you read my mind now?"

"No. I have to be in direct contact with you."

 _Good. At least I will have my mind to my own. There's enough conflict up there as is, don't need someone else barging around._ Link said nothing.

There was a long silence as Link ate, MiarindÍl only observed him as if studying his every behavior. She finally spoke again, saying: "Who is the girl? You care for her deeply."

Link froze again, his heart pounded in his chest. _How can I defend myself from someone who's seen my mind?_ "She is the princess," he finally answered.

"And you love her?"

Link chocked a little on his food at the suddenness of her question. "It is not my place to speak to such foolish things."

"I see now. Your inner conflict has become clear." MiarindÍl's gazed at him intensely. Link remained stubbornly quiet. "You believe it to be a violation of your responsibilities to love her."

Link sighed. "It is my sworn duty to protect the kingdom. Seeing that she is the princess of that kingdom, it is a serious liability to allow such things. Regardless if there are laws against it or not."

"Is that what you tell yourself?" Her words stung a little.

Link only nodded sternly. "Better the truth, then a lie. Besides. I offer no strategic or diplomatic advantage. My birth gives my no land, no social standing. I would be hindrance to the progress of the kingdom."

"If that is what your people have come to believe, then I am truly sorry for you." She paused. "When my people still inhabited these lands, they did not desire 'strategic or diplomatic advantage,' for them love was pure; priceless. I believe it would do you good to reconsider your standing on the matter. Living a life as an emotionless husk is no life at all."

"I gave up that choice when I swore myself to the service of my kingdom!" He almost yelled the words, and to his surprise, he felt tears welling under his eyes. The burst of emotion was so sudden and unexpected, but he quickly regained control and cleared his eyes.

MiarindÍl relented her questions, after seeing Link's pain. "Forgive me, young savior. You must be sore from your trials. There is a small pool that you may wash yourself in. I have no clean clothes to offer you, but I will try to mend and wash your tunic."

 _A bath? Haven't had one of those in a while. Should be nice._ He nodded, then MiarindÍl led him down a small path in the cavern to a small shallow pool. His face turned bright red when MiarindÍl asked him to give her his clothes for mending and washing; _all of them._ She nonchalantly scoffed, saying "I have been on this earth for thousands of years, nothing will surprise me, young savior." Reluctantly he disrobed and quickly submerged himself in the pool. It was warm to his surprise, warmth that seeped into his core. He felt the scabs across his body again, counting them. The scab on his stomach was the sorest, but it was nothing compared to the pain he felt earlier, before she healed it.

 _Looks like I'll walk out of here with a couple of scars to remind me._ He thought about the way he spoke to MiarindÍl earlier, feeling a little guilty for his rudeness. _I will apologize when I talk to her again. She only wants to help._ Link spent well over an hour in the pool, he had not been this comfortable in ages. MiarindÍl eventually returned with his clothes, which had been all been mended with a fine cord, seemingly made of some organic material, and washed free of blood. He thanked her, and redressed himself, feeling like a new man.

"Caretaker, I wanted to apologize for my rudeness earlier. You have shown me kindness, I had no right to speak the way I did."

"There is nothing to worry about, young savior. Your battles and wounds have made you sore and tired, it is only natural to be rough. As I have grown weak, after being locked away for so long. You must forgive me, but I also need rest. Should you need me, do not hesitate to call my name. I will answer."

MiarindÍl led him to a small area that he could sleep in comfortable, in a bed made of thatched grass and leaves. It was much more comfortable than Link thought it would be, which he was glad of. _Tomorrow I will work on clearing out the rest of the beasts that roam this land. I believe that the Caretaker can help me with that dramatically._ With that final thought, he fell into a calming sleep.

* * *

There was a sudden rap at the door. _Who could that be?_ She lightly skipped to the door, opening to find a young shaggy haired boy stood before her.

"Are you Angela?" the boy asked with his thin mouth, he seemed worried.

"No. Angela is my mother," she responded politely, noting the young boy's uneasiness.

"Is she here? Its urgent."

"I'm afraid she isn't. She's at the market right now." The boy frowned, turning to leave in a sprint, before Ariel shouted out him to stop. "Wait! What is wrong?"

"My teacher, Gerald, your neighbor, he's very sick. He told me to run here and find Angela, he said she could help." The young boy squirmed impatiently.

She understood the gravity of the situation, quickly slipping on a small overcoat, and ran out into the street to meet the young apprentice. "Return to your teacher, quickly. I will find my mother and bring her back as soon as possible." The boy nodded, and sprinted back down the street. Ariel jogged to Market Square, craning her neck out, in search of her mother. She spotted her near a small produce vendor, inspecting a bundle of apples. "Mother!" She shouted out so that her voice could be heard above the loud crowded square. Her mother snapped her head around, recognizing the distressed call.

"What has happened, dear?" Angela asked, grabbing her daughters arm.

"It's Link's father, somethings wrong!" Her mother nodded determinedly, taking her hand, and briskly walked towards their home. "His apprentice was looking for you, he looked so frightened."

"What did he say!?" Angela asked urgently.

"Only that he was very sick, and that he told him to find you."

Angela nodded, picking up her pace. They found the young apprentice pacing outside, waiting for them. "What happened?" Angela asked.

"I don't know. He just started wheezing and coughing up blood. He fell over, I barely got him to his bed."

Angela entered the house, quickly finding Gerald laying in his bed, sweating profusely, coughing violently. He cried out in-between coughs: "Link- _cough,_ find hi- _COUGH_."

Angela gently hushed him, using a wet cloth to wipe away his sweat on his forehead. She turned to her daughter, "Run. Now. Go find a physician."

Ariel bolted out the door in a full sprint. _As soon as I find a physician, I must get word to Link._ She ran as fast as her feet could carry her, until she came upon the town physician's office. No one was there, he must have been out on another call. _The training yard maybe._ She turned on her heel, running to the training yard, towards the eastern part of Castle Town. She saw a large group of young boys practicing their swordsmanship, clumsily. When they saw Ariel approaching they stopped, and watched entrancedly. They jolted back to their duty when their Captain shouted at them to return to their practice.

"What may I help you with?" the Captain asked.

"Please. Is your physician here?" she pleaded.

The wide-nosed Captain paused, "Yes… But he is only responsible for the trainees."

"Please! One of your former trainees, Link. His father is very ill, he is dying and the town physician is nowhere to be found."

The Captains ears perked up at the mention of Link. "Link was one of my best students… I will grab the physician for you." The Captain jogged to his office, eventually reemerging with a large balding man in tow. He explained the situation to the physician; the physician remembered meeting Link's father, recalling giving him a small elixir to soothe his coughing. Ariel thanked the Captain, and led the hefty physician back to Link's home.

Angela was sat on a small wooden stool, trying to help Gerald drink water from a small glass, which he coughed back up with blood. The physician entered, and set about examining the sickly man. From a small pouch, the was tied around his waist, he pulled out a small vile of a clear liquid, and leaned Gerald's head back while pouring it down his throat, closing his mouth with his forceful hand to prevent him from coughing it back out.

"There is not much I can do. I believe that there is a growth in his lungs." The physician turned to face Angela, whispering to her, "It is too late for him. I can help ease his pain, but he will die in a few days." He paused for a moment before continuing. "It believe it would be wise to bring his son here, he may not have a chance to see him again."

Angela looked to her daughter again, but Ariel had already run back out the door to find Link. Her chest burned, her breathing was sporadic. _At the castle. That's where he is. I have to find him._

When she reached the gatehouse, two guards stopped her, "Whoa whoa, what is wrong? What is your business here?" one guard asked putting his arms out.

"Please. One of the knights in there, his father is dying, I need to tell him!" She barely got the words out, her lungs were gasping for air. The guards took notice to her frantic state and spoke a little more sympathetically.

"What is his name? Where is he stationed?"

"His name is Link, he is training to become a Royal Guardsmen."

"I will send word to Commander Varin, he is in charge of training the Royal Knights." Ariel opened her mouth to thank the guard when he continued abruptly, "But I have to warn you. The Knights-in-training are not here right now. They are scattered about in the wild. They won't be back for another week and a half."

"What?! Please, you must find a way to get a message to him. His father will die in the next few days!"

"I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do about it. I will alert the Commander, but that is all I _can_ do."

 _No no no. This can't happen. He needs to be here, he has to!_ Tears began to roll down her cheek, she was hopeless to help her friend. She ran back to her mother, relaying the news in private.

"Hylia have mercy on him," her mother exclaimed. "Pray that he will live long enough to see his son one last time. That is all he mutters for. We have to be here for him. No one should spend their last hours alone."

Ariel sniffled, tears still falling from her eyes silently. _I have to help him. Comfort him._


	10. Final Goodbye

_Chapter ten, Final Goodbye_

It was strange, sleeping in such a secluded cavern. He could sense the walls around him, and it brought a feeling of security to him. He felt safe, allowing him to sleep better than he had in weeks dangling high up in the trees in his makeshift hammock. He opened his eyes, the soft glow on the luminous stones above him cast a welcoming light. After a long yawn, he began to pull himself up, his abdomen stiffened in sore protest. He took a few minutes to stretch his body, exhaling heavy air out as he loosened each muscle. The scabs were still there, and a little sensitive, but looked better. _At least I don't have a six-inch hole in my stomach anymore._ He shuttered at the memory of the Lynel's massive claw digging deep into his core, bringing unimaginable pain. He felt the scab on his brow and cheek. _I won't be able to hide that scar I'm afraid._

Link walked over to the small spring that echoed nearby, feeling the warm water with his fingers. His tongue was dry, it had been yesterday since his last drink, he licked his dry lips. _I shouldn't drink this water though._ He began to stand when he heard MiarindÍl's voice call out.

"You may drink from the spring, if you wish it, it is clean water." MiarindÍl was standing nearby, drifting in silently, her footsteps never leaving marks in the soft soil of the cavern. Link nodded, and proceeded to scoop up water in his cupped hands, tasting the refreshing water. He could feel the warm water gather in his stomach.

 _Goddess, this water is… amazing,_ he thought to himself as he had his fill of the fresh water. "Thank you," he finally said, wiping away the moisture from his lips.

MiarindÍl smiled kindly, "Did you rest well, young savior?"

Link chuckled a little. "Better than I have in weeks." His tone was cheery and optimistic, and MiarindÍl took note of his chipper voice.

"Good. I am glad. I found my rest to be most refreshing, I can feel my strength returning. I must admit that after 10,000 years of being locked away certainly took it out of me. And then so soon after being released I had to pour every ounce of power into healing your grievous wounds."

After hearing her statement, Link felt a little guilty. "I apologize that I made you suffer, for my sake. I will forever be in your debt."

MiarindÍl held out her hand. "No need to apologize, young savior. If it weren't for your brave actions, I would still be locked away for who knows how long. It was the least I could do." She grinned again. "However, I must warn you against falling to such wounds again. Despite my abilities, I cannot bring people back from the dead, no matter how hard I try... Regardless, I was glad to do it, it brings my soul great joy to have purpose again."

 _I can understand that feeling,_ he thought, reflecting on his inner conflict of feeling lost without a purpose. Link pondered for a while longer before finally asking: "If I may ask, Caretaker, what are you. Exactly?" Link sat in the soft soil of the cavern, his knees brought up to his chest. MiarindÍl simply looked a Link, smiling politely before responding.

"As I said before. I am MiarindÍl. In your tongue, it means Giver of Care, or Caretaker. It is not only my name, but also my title; what I am. For me, they are one in the same. It is similar to if I simply called you Hylian, instead of Link."

"Are there more of you? More MiarindÍl?" Link waited intently for her answer, the subject peaked his interest greatly.

"No. I am the sole survivor of my kind. My male counter parts were called Miarindol, as it is customary to end names in 'ol' if they are male, and 'Íl' if they are female."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," he responded, fearing that he brought up a deep pain within her.

"Did not know what?" she asked, tilting her head.

"That… You are the last of your kind."

She smiled. "Do not fear, young savior, it is a natural process. There is no pain in it. At any rate, it is rare for two Miarindels to live at one time, and even in those rare cases, we are often separated by thousands of miles." MiarindÍl stared into his eyes, as if translating their sudden movements.

He hesitated to continue, finally working up the courage to ask: "How… how are you born? Or created?"

"The Great Deku tree breathes us into existence, sending out our seedlings upon the wind until we land and sprout into trees. It takes nearly a hundred years before we mature, but once we have done that, we can separate our spirits from the tree that bore us, and walk about on two feet as you do."

"Is that tree that grows on top of that dragon sculpture in Damel Forest your tree?" he asked, wide eyed.

"Yes, it is. For eons, I have been the guardian of the Faron region, sworn to nurture and protect it. Although, on account of my long absence, those vile beasts invaded and defiled my home."

"About that. I have decided that I would like to help you in destroying the rest of those monsters." He paused for a moment, tightening his hands into fists. "Those creatures were the cause of great bloodshed for my people, I would like to avenge them."

MiarindÍl grinned, "And I accept your help, with a gracious heart! Should you ever be in need, young savior, do not hesitate to come here. You will always be welcome in my domain." She paused. "But, this will be no easy task. I can sense their presence throughout the forest, you will be drastically outnumbered."

Link grunted amusedly, "I have been outnumbered almost every day of my life, I have grown used to it."

MiarindÍl laughed, throwing her head back. "I do not doubt your courage, Lynel Slayer, but I ask that you exercise caution. I will help you in any way I can of course; starting with breakfast."

 _Oh thank Hylia. I'm starving._

His breakfast consisted of a vast array of fruits and vegetables, as the night before, but he had no complaints. After eating his fill, he looped his crude sword through his leather belt, and strung his Lizal bow over his chest, along with the remaining arrow in his quiver. _Eight arrows left,_ he counted. _I'll have to scavenge for more of them later._ His shield was in shambles after his fight with the Lynel the other day, but he brought it with his all the same. Once he was adequately prepared, he turned a nodded to MiarindÍl, signaling that he was ready.

"Excellent. Meet me outside." MiarindÍl soon vanished before his eyes, dissipating into a cloud of lightly colored petals that drifted on the wind.

 _So that's how she gets around so quietly!_ A toothy grin shot across his mouth, then he turned to exit the cavern, jogging up the stairs that lead to the surface. The stairs were pitch-black, so he had to rely on his sense of touch to navigate ahead. Soon he felt the rough stone of the massive door in front of him. _How am I supposed to get out?_ Before he could think of an answer, the door rumbled, and small pebbles and a puff of dust fell from the ceiling. The sunlight peaked over the top of the door, and bright streaks of light filled the tunnel. Link covered his eyes, taking time to allow them to readjust to the sudden change of environment.

He squinted his eyes as he looked out upon the open coliseum, a breeze gently drifting through the trees. He walked over to where the dead Lynel laid. The stench was unbearable, as it was already decomposing. He picked up its sword curiously, finding it to be much too heavy to wield with any proficiency. _It's a bit too heavy for my liking. But it would be a nice trophy. Maybe I'll come back for it._ Over his shoulder he heard MiarindÍl speak to him.

"I can sense a small group of them nearby, they have an encampment not far from here."

Link nodded determinedly, with a boyish grin. "Well let's go track them down."

MiarindÍl led him up the river, taking a shard left turn once they were well in. Link clambered up the stone wall that was on the bank of the river, soon stepping into a heavily wooded area. MiarindÍl materialized next to him, pointing her finger. "They are a quarter mile that way, I would suggest readying your bow, there are a great number of them." Link nodded, and proceeded forward with his bow at the ready. After sneaking around for quite some time, he reached the outskirts of the Bokoblin and Moblin camp. They were all huddled around the fire, cooking a large forest boar. Link counted eleven of them. Five Moblins, and six Bokoblins.

 _Should be easy enough, as long as I can pick them off one at a time._ He silently climbed a nearby tree, nestling himself in the crook two great limbs. He knocked an arrow, and drew the bow back, taking aim at the nearest Moblin. He exhaled, and loosed his arrow. It flew forth and struck the Moblin right in the right eye. It cried out before collapsing. Its comrades snapped their heads around, searching for their assailant. Link fired another arrow, killing another Moblin. The Bokoblins sprinted towards him, only knowing the general area he attacked from. With speed and accuracy, he let lose his remaining six arrows, killing six Bokoblins. _Only three Moblins left._ When one of them drew close enough he leapt from his tree, driving his blade into its neck, using it to break his fall. With ease, he dispatched with the remaining Moblins. Link scavenged a strong broad sword off one of the Moblins, preferring it over the crude weapon he had been using before. He then gathered his arrows, acquiring more from the dead monsters.

"Excellent work." MiarindÍl cried out joyfully. She then paused for a moment, as if a thought occurred to her. "I never had a chance to ask you, young savior, but why is it you are here exactly? What brought you to this dangerous forest?"

"Well. I was sent here by my Commander, as a trial, to prove that I am ready to become a Royal Guardsmen."

"I believe you will be found more than worthy of that position. In all my years, I have never seen a warrior fight with such vigor and skill."

Link smiled, it was a flattering remark. He grinned brightly, "Thank you, Caretaker."

"That was one of the things I saw in your mind when I was healing you. I saw how easily you defeated your companions in practice." She paused, grinning a little. "Except for one. An older man, he seemed to put up quite a fight."

Link chuckled. "Yes. The man is my King. I only won because I had a youthful advantage. Had the playing fields been even, I have no doubt he would have thoroughly beat me. There are legends that tell of his skill when he was a young knight of Hyrule." _I wonder what else she saw._ The thought remained in his mind, until he decided to ask. "Caretaker, what else did you see in my mind? When I was unconscious."

"A great many things, young savior."

Link waited for her to say more, but she remained silent. "Like what?" he finally pressed.

MiarindÍl grinned. "Are you sure you want to know? Last time we spoke of such things you shut me out."

"I wanted to apologize for how rude I was early, it was uncalled for. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me"

MiarindÍl placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. "It is all right, young savior. We all have our struggles. I merely wish to help." She began to walk north of the camp, signaling for Link to follow. "I saw many things from your past. Your mother. Your father. _Your beloved Princess."_ She glanced at Link knowingly as he shied away from her eyes. "As well as sensing some of your greatest desires, and fears. I must admit, the two are frighteningly intertwined with one another."

"And what do you think of them all?" Link asked with a dry throat.

"It does not matter what _I_ think. It matters what _you_ think," she replied curtly.

Link sighed. He hoped that she could offer some clarity for his situation, or even comfort. "Sometimes I don't even know what to think. My mind is ever torn between two voices, constantly fighting." Link was surprised by his openness. He had not spoken his mind like this since he was intimate with Zelda, which felt like ages ago. He thought that perhaps it was because MiarindÍl already knew his mind. She brought an unexplainable feeling of peace and calm to him.

"I know. I felt it." She paused. "That is often the case when men shut their minds away from prying eyes. Their greatest struggles exist in their head."

"You've seen it before?" he asked earnestly.

"Many times. My people often desired my counsel on matters of the heart and soul, much like you do now."

"What were your people like?" he pressed in, interested to hear more about her life.

She chuckled lightly, "They were a gentle people. They lead simple lives, separating themselves from the ever pressing technological advancements of the Hyrulean and Sheikah people. They did not desire such things. Only to live in harmony in this forest."

"What happened to them?"

"After they sealed me away, thinking that they could protect me from the impending rise of the Calamity, the forest grew hostile to them. I was helpless to defend them. What remained of them packed up their belongings and set out on the great sea, in search of new land, promising to return someday to free me once the Beast had been slain…" She trailed off.

Link noted how her tone had changed. It must have been a terrible memory to bear. "But they never returned…?" MiarindÍl only shook her head. "I'm sorry. I cannot hope to begin to understand how terrible it must have been."

"Thank you, young savior, your sentiment is comfort enough." She stopped in her tracks, turning an ear to the forest, closing her eyes. "I sense more of them. Nearby. The trees whisper to me. I believe this is where the majority of their horde reside. They are disorganized. It appears that you killing their leader, the Lynel, has greatly upset their ranks. A large majority of them have already fled the Faron region entirely." She opened her eyes again, continuing her walk. "You won't have enough arrows for all of them, but I think I have an idea."

* * *

Angela awoke in the middle of the night; her back was sore from the uncomfortable makeshift bed. She peered into the dark room, the moonlight spilling through small window was the only source of light there was. She heard the muffled coughs of Link's father in the other room. She stood stiffly, pulling a small blanket over her shoulders, and walked down the hallway. Painful cough after painful cough, Gerald gasped for breath. He could taste the warm blood in his mouth. Angela was soon by his side, trying to comfort him, but was hopeless to soothe his pain.

"Link… Where's…"

"They said he would not be back for a couple of days more. They sent word to Commander Varin, he will have a horse ready for Link when they pick him up. Just hold out a little longer, please." Gerald began to reach at his neck, trying to pull something from around it. His hands found a small leather cord that hung around his neck, and he brought it over his head, giving it to Angela.

"It belonged to his mother- _cough cough._ Please. Give to him."

Angela looked at her palm, in it was a small but beautifully carved stone lamb, no bigger than her thumb. It hung on a delicate leather string that was tied in a tight knot in the back.

"Please… Give it to my little lamb." A violent fit of coughing overtook him, he convulsed in his bed, gasping for air between coughs. When the coughing subsided a little he took Angela's hand, closing her fingers around the necklace. A tear ran down the side of his cheek as he trembled to speak words. "Tell him that I could not be prouder of him. That no matter what happens, he will always be loved."

Angela's eyes welted with tears, it was a miserable sight to behold. "I will," she finally stammered.

"Tell him to be honest, kind, and courageous." He spoke these words with his final breath before finally resting his head back as his lifeless eyes closed, his grasp released, freeing Angela's hand.

Ariel entered the room, her eyes were still droopy from a restless sleep. Her jaw dropped when she saw his limp body resting peacefully on the bed. She inched forward, fresh tears pouring forth slowly. Angela sniffled, before wrapping her arm around her daughter to comfort her.

"If only he could have seen Link one last time… It would have done both their hearts some good." Ariel buried her face in her mother's shoulder, letting a quiet whimper out. Gerald's apprentice entered the room, his shaggy hair covering his face. He bit his lip, fidgeting with the corner of his dirty shirt, trying to hide the small tears in his tired eyes. Gerald had been one of the kindest, most patient men he knew. He shed a silent tear for his deceased master. The three sat in complete silence, casting tearful glances to each other.

"When the sun rises I will call the mortician. Ariel, please write to your brother, have him come here. Link will need his closest friends with him."

* * *

Link carefully stepped forward, never making a sound. His bow was ready. _I'll aim for the Lizalfos first, since they are the fastest._ He poked his head over the small ridge, catching a glimpse of the large horde of enemies in their camp. It was a smaller group than he saw that day when he fought the Lynel, but it made sense. MiarindÍl said that most of their forces left the Faron region in search of a new holdout, never to return. He counted their numbers, estimating there to be thirty to forty of them left. He looked to the east, awaiting his signal. A lone Elk emerged from the forest, stirring the dirt beneath its hooves, shaking its massive crown-like antlers. Link nodded and leapt from the ridge firing arrow after arrow down on his enemies, each one striking true. Before the horde could confront him they all heard a deep rumble emanating from the forest. They turned to face this potential foe. From within the forest burst out a stampede of Elk, all brandishing their antlers, charging forward. The camp erupted into chaos as the stamped impaled, trampled, and destroyed the host of monsters. Link joined the fray, firing arrows, and swinging his sword wildly. His arms felt heavy by the end of it, but before him laid his enemies, battered, and broken, dead or unconscious in the dirt.

MiarindÍl appeared next to Link, examining the carnage. The fight was over faster than it began. "It worked! This brings me great joy, young savior. I can feel the corruption slipping away from these lands!" She turned to Link, continuing: "Link, because of you this great forest will be free from the clutches of those monsters at last. This forest can finally return to its peaceful ways."

They spent the last week of Link's trial hunting down what remained of the vile horde of monsters. The beasts ran in terror from the fierce predator that perused them. To his surprise as his remaining days in the Faron region drew to a close, he found that he rather enjoyed the peacefulness of it all.

"You know, I think I'll miss it here. Now that those monsters are gone, it is so quiet and peaceful."

MiarindÍl tilted her head to look at Link as they sat around a warm fire. "You will always be welcomed into this forest, Link. Please, do not hesitate to ever return here, should you grow weary of travel, or have wounds that need mending."

Link smiled, thankful for her generous offer. "Thank you, Caretaker. I can't say that I will visit often, but I promise that if I get the chance, I will drop by." He paused for a moment before continuing. "So, what will you do now?"

"I will continue to nurture this forest back to health. Maybe someday people will return to this region, so that I may watch over them and protect them. But this forest must heal first." Link smiled contently, leaning back against the tree truck at his back, sighing out in relief. The energy about him felt different than before, as if the forest welcomed him now, instead of lashing out against him. There was a long pause until MiarindÍl asked Link a peculiar question.

"What does she look like?"

"Who?"

"The Princess."

Link was a little taken aback by the question. "I thought you said you saw her, in my mind." Before he would have scoffed at the question, denying that she ever was present in his mind, taking on his silent, dutiful façade, but there was no denying it from MiarindÍl, even if he wanted to. He trusted her now, he felt comfortable enough to speak his mind openly with her, she already knew so much about him.

MiarindÍl's cyan eyes locked with his. "Well, yes. And no." She shifted slightly. "I never saw her face… More than anything, I only sensed your strong feelings for her, your desires. Sometimes those are stronger and so much more visceral than mere images. The mind can be a tricky thing."

"Well," he started. "She has long golden hair, softer than silk." He allowed himself this one time to let his mind dwell on her beauty. "Her eyes… They shine so bright under the moonlight. A bright emerald green." Link closed his eyes imagining her before him. "She has a slender face, with perfect radiant skin." He could recall every facet of her beautiful features in the vivid image that was displayed in his head. "And her smile… Brighter, and kinder than anyone I have ever seen. I can't describe how it feels to see her smile."

"She sounds beautiful."

 _Yes. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen._ "More than you can imagine. My words don't do her justice I'm afraid." Link held onto the image in his mind, his heart beat heavy in his chest, but sunk when he remembered his duty. He sighed despondently; it was a dream he could never hope to chase, and so he dismissed the apparition in his mind. Link yawned widely, his eyes felt heavy. "Well. I suppose I should rest, I have to leave tomorrow and return home."

"Very well, young savior. I will see you off in the morning." She disappeared on a gentle breeze, leaving Link to cozy up alone by the fire. He laid on his back, looking up to the sky, seeing bright stars dancing in the heavens.

 _Mm. The stars._

" _You know, I heard that before the gods departed from this world, they left us with one last gift. They created the stars, so that we could navigate our world. So that even in the dark of the night, we could find our way back home. Though our world may be plunged into chaos, into war, at the end of the day all he had to do was look up. And we would know where we stood. Always."_

Her voice was so clear in his head. He remembered how much younger she sounded then, only being fifteen at the time. _I suppose you will be turning seventeen soon after me. Have two years gone by so quick?_

He refocused on the stars above. _I wish I had the knowledge to read the stars, to navigate by them. Maybe they would give me direction in life._ He closed his eyes, sleep swiftly taking him into deep dreams, all turning to the same nightmare that haunted him since his childhood.

He awoke to the cheerful chirping of the forest birds. The fire smoldered into grey ash, only a small trail of smoke spewed upwards. Link stretched his body as he stood, taking in a deep, rich breath of air. _It even smells better here now._ He scanned the peaceful forest before he called out: "MiarindÍl."

A gentle breeze swept through, blowing the light ash aside. "Good morning, young savior. Would you care to share one last meal together before we part ways?"

"Certainly. I have a little time left."

Link took large chunks out of his crisp apple, wishing he had time to rekindle the fire and roast it. MiarindÍl perked her head up, opening her mouth to speak. "Promise you will take care of yourself out there. Find someone to share your thoughts with, I believe it has done you some good to speak your mind."

Link chuckled lightly. "I will try. But not everyone has an open ear like yours." MiarindÍl grinned kindly in response. Once he had finished his apple, he stood to take his leave. "It is time. I can never thank you enough for saving me and providing me with food and comfort."

"And I can never thank _you_ enough for saving me and my forest, and providing me with comfort." MiarindÍl bowed her head slightly. With their final goodbyes, Link began his journey home with a lightness of spirit. He traveled west for quite some time until he came upon the turbulent river. From their he proceeded south, passing the small lake, and eventually ventured out from the area of Damel Forest. By the time it was mid-day he was crossing the River Floria bridge. As he passed over the running water he spotted something in his peripheral. He sprinted across the bridge, taking cover behind a small tree, scouting out the area he had seen it. He heard it rustling through the forest, eventually emerging from the tall grass. It was a singular red Bokoblin. _One must have escaped, or got lost._ Link readied his bow, preparing to set chase, when a thought came to him. _I forgot to retrieve the Lynel sword! But no time for that now, maybe I'll come back for it another day._ He was discouraged at the prospect of leaving his prized trophy behind, but it was a matter of little significance now. He pressed forward, chasing after the lone Bokoblin. He sprinted through Faron Forest, following the tracks of his prey, eventually reaching the border of the forest. To his surprise the wagon of his fellow knights was already there out in the open plain, and Commander Varin was mounted on a large black horse. He took one step out of the forest when he saw the Bokoblin leap out, running as fast as it could westward. The knights in the wagon all stood up in alarm, reaching for the swords they did not have. Commander Varin drew his sword, ready to charge the beast, but before he did, Link let loose a long arrow, striking the beast in the back, killing it instantly. With a small grin on his mouth, he jogged forward, swinging the bow over his shoulder. Commander Varin met him halfway on horseback, the solemn look on his face quickly dashing away any joy Link had.

"What is wrong Commander?" he asked, running through hundreds of possible answers in his head.

"Link… It's your father. He's gone…"

Link was in shock. His jaw hung freely. "What?!" he asked despondently.

"Take my horse. Ride for Castle Town. I will return with the remaining knights. Go!"

Without another word, Link leapt up onto the horse, kicking it into a full gallop. The wind ripped through his hair, the news still processing in his mind. _No no no! This can't be. He was... The coughing… It must have gotten worse while I was gone._ Tears streaked down his cheeks, he angrily spurred his horse harder, sending it into a frenzied sprint. _Why!? Why now?_ He looked to the heavens, hoping for an answer. _I should have been there! How long has he been dead?_

By the time he reached Castle Town, his horse was exhausted and would not take another step, defiantly plopping down in the street. He jumped off, continuing in a heart beating sprint. He weaved his way through the crowd, accidently knocking someone over, but never stopped to help them up. When he turned the corner of his street he saw Angela drowsily sitting on a small wooden stool outside his house.

"Link! Link!" she cried out.

"Where is he?" he demanded.

"At the physician's office. The mortician-." Link did not hear the last part, he ran off before she could finish.

He burst through the door of the physician's office. Ignoring the protest of the attendant, he turned down a small hallway, only guessing where his father was. He passed a number of small rooms, checking each one briefly before coming upon a room with a closed door. He reached for the door handle, pausing for a moment, praying with every bone in his body that it was not true. With a fearful heart he turned the handle, stepping through the threshold.

He collapsed to his knees. His father was wrapped in a white linen, his skin void of color, eyes loosely closed. He could not move himself, he only stared from a distance. The world around him faded away. As far as he knew, only his father and himself were all that were real. He crawled forward, standing to place his fingers on his father's face. _Cold. Only cold._ He did not know what to do, everything felt surreal. He wanted to faint, cry, and scream all at the same time. He stood, frozen in time, grasping at the grey cheeks of his beloved father. He felt a wiry hand on his shoulder, it was the attendant, ushering him away.

"Get away!" he shouted. The attendant leapt back, shocked by his outburst, and briskly left the room, closing the door behind him.

"I'm sorry father," tears drained from his eyes, snot running from his nose. "I should have been here for you. I should have been here to comfort you in your last hours." His heart physically hurt, it pounded in his chest, his breathing became irregular and strained. He sank to the floor, placing his face in his hands, weeping bitterly.

He felt soft hands fall on his shoulder, drawing him in close. "Let it all out my darling." It was Angela. She gently rocked him back and forth, never saying a word. Ariel entered the room, kneeling beside her mother, softly stroking Link's arm, tears welling under her eyes.

"Was he alone in his last moments?" he asked through his sharp breathes.

"No. We were with him."

"… Thank you… truly."

It was nearly half an hour until Link felt strong enough to stand. He had no more tears to give, only sporadic breaths taking place. He rubbed his swollen eyes, finally looking back down to his father.

"I will bury him. I will find a place for him by a running river, into the open air." His voice was coarse, and melancholy.

"Wait a little longer my dear. Jonathan will be here soon. He will help you with this task."

 _Jonathan…_ It soothed his aching heart to think of his oldest friend, glad that he would not be alone.

It was dark out by the time Jonathan arrived from the Akkala Citadel, which was a day's ride to the east. He looked weary from travel, but glad to be home, regardless of the scenario. Normally, Jonathan would have been beaming with laughter, a great big smile on his lips, but he entered Link's home with a solemn expression. He embraced Link tightly.

"I've missed you, my friend… I only wish the circumstances were different," he whispered.

"Me too." Link's words fell heavily from his mouth. After exchanging their somber pleasantries, Jonathan returned to his mother's home for rest, in the morning they would set out to find a proper place to bury Link's father. Link found no rest that night, endlessly turning in his bed, vivid memories streaming through his mind. _If only MiarindÍl could bring people back from death… But no, it's not natural._ 'Death is the only certainty in life,' is what Commander Varin once said to him. 'Therefore, go forth into battle with courage, make life worth fighting for, before we all inevitably return to the dirt of the earth.' _Father. Mother. If you can hear me. I promise I will make life worth fighting for. I will have courage._

 _Honesty. Kindness. Courage._

He found strength in his resolve, a momentary peace in his shattered state of mind. His last remaining tears rolled down his face, dripping onto his pillow before he closed his eyes, awaiting the morning sun. When the warm sun's rays shone through his bedroom window he stood himself up, rubbing his tired eyes. He dressed himself in a simple grey tunic, and tied his long golden hair back behind his head. He peered listlessly into a small mirror, examining the rough patchy beard that grew on his face. He never had the chance to shave after returning from his long trial, nor did the idea ever cross his mind. With a sigh, he brandished a razor from the small cabinet and a small container of a yellowish cream, which he spread across his neck and jaw. When he was done he wiped away any remaining shaving cream running his finger over his soft skin. Satisfied, he stepped outside, locking the door behind him and walked to Jonathan's house. A light moist dew sat upon the sleepy town, the light refracted through the droplets of water, shining brightly. He entered through the front to find Jonathan sitting alone at the dining table, eating a small piece of bread.

"You ready?" Link asked quietly. Jonathan nodded, finishing his finally bite. They saddled their horses and rode out from the eastern gate. The breeze was so gentle and calming in the morning cool, the birds chirped as they lazily emerged from their nests, setting out to find food for their young. Link inhaled the fresh air, basking in the warmth of the sun, taking comfort in the tranquility of the wild. _I could live out here. Forever. But I have a job to do._ He stirred himself in his saddle, furrowing his eyebrows. He and Jonathan rode for an hour, without ever saying a word, but that was enough comfort as it was. Link glanced at his dark-haired friend, a small one-sided grin on his lips, bowing his head as a gesture of silent thanks. Jonathan returned the gesture, they understood each other without having to say a single word.

Their path had taken them east, over the river Hylia, and onto gentle rolling hills. _This looks like a good place._ From their vantage point they could see both the flowing river, and the majestic spires of Hyrule Castle glistening in the morning sunlight. They set about digging a large and deep hole with the two shovels they brought. It was hard work, their chests heaved the cold air in and out as they wiped the sweat from their brow, but they were satisfied with the depth and length of the hole. They clambered out, remounting their horses to return to Castle Town.

"He would have been happy to see the place we chose for him. He always did prefer the open ranges of the confines of the city." Jonathan's voice was uncharacteristically soft.

"Yes… I believe he would be."

Link drove the wagon that held his father, a small procession of his closest friends and neighbors following behind closely, a word never passing their lips. By the time they had returned to the burial grounds the sun was high in the sky, and the crickets leapt forth from the tall grass, calling out loudly as the group passed. Link, Dan, Liam, and Jonathan bore the heavy coffin, taking it down from the wagon, and placing it next to the large hole in the soft earth. Link knelt down, running his fingers over the wooden box.

"Goodbye father. I promise to remain strong, to make you proud." His lip quivered as he stood, feeling his eyes moisten. The four burly men attached strong rope to each corner of the coffin, lowering it slowly into the grave. With every scoop of his shovel, Link felt his spirit break, letting lose heavy tear drops silently. When their work was done, they all stood in stoic silence, muttering their final prayers before turning to leave. As they left they placed a comforting hand on Link's shoulder, offering their sincere condolences. Link lingered a little longer, gazing out on the rich scenery before him.

"In in his last moments, he wanted you to have this." Angela's voice was gentle and comforting. Link turned his head to peer at the small object in the palm of her hand. It was a necklace, with a leather cord bearing a small stone lamb. She placed it in his open hand, and he stared at it longingly.

"My little lamb," he muttered so quietly that Angela did not hear it.

"It belonged to your mother… Link. Before he passed he wanted to tell you that he could not be prouder of you, and wished that you would stay honest, kind, and courageous."

 _Honesty. Kindness. Courage._

A somber grin stretched out from his mouth, "Thank you, Angela. Your kindness means the world to me. I can never truly express my gratitude towards you and your daughter for being with him in his final days." He returned his gaze to the necklace, eventually donning it around his neck, tucking it safely under his tunic. Angela slipped away, and Ariel took her place. She placed a dainty hand on his shoulder.

"Link, should you ever need anything. Please, never hesitate to call." Her soft voice was soothing to his ears. He nodded with a small smile, before returning his eyes to the wild. Ariel tip-toed up and kissed him lightly on the cheek before following her mother. Given any other situation, Link's heart would have raced in disgruntled protest, but he was so devoid of emotion, his energy was spent, and he did not dwell on it. Mrs. Tamlin shuffled over, embracing him kindly, offering sage advice and condolences before giving his hand a light squeeze, leaving him to stand in peace. Link stood still, closing his eyes, feeling the soft winds flow through his hair, drawing in the smell of the earth. He was alone.

He tilted his head slightly when he heard soft hooves on the soil behind him. He turned around, and to his surprise, the Royal Family stood before him, a small rank of Royal Guards at their back. He knelt down on one knee uttering "Your graces. My lady."

"No no, please. Stand." The King's voice bore a kind tone.

The Queen continued, saying: "We would have come earlier, dear child, but this news only came to us this morning. We have come to pay our respects, and to offer you our sincerest condolences."

"Thank you, your grace. I am unworthy to receive such a noble audience." Link bowed his head in a gesture of respect.

"Nonsense. In the passing of life, we are alike. All Hylians are created equal." The Queen strode forward gracefully, the embodiment of grace and regality. She stood next to Link peering down upon the patch of freshly churned soil. "I never had the pleasure of meeting your father, but I believe that he must have been a truly extraordinary man to have raised such a valiant young man like yourself."

 _He was extraordinary._ "Thank you, your grace." He then heard the King speak over his left shoulder, as he approached.

"And I had the pleasure of meeting your father. And I can confirm that he really was an extraordinary man. This world has lost an honorable individual. We should all pay our respects."

Just as the thought passed his mind, he felt Zelda's soft hand rest on his shoulder. She peered up at him with glassy green eyes, offering a sweet smile that brought him comfort beyond measure. She did not need to say a word, as his heart was warmed by her presence. After a prolonged silence, the King and Queen left, whispering their kind words of encouragement to Link. Zelda stood by his side a little longer, quietly muttering to him: "Link. I will always be here for you. Always."

"Thank you, my lady."

When she was gone, and the Royal party had left, Link sank to the ground, offering his final goodbye before leaving.

 _Honesty. Kindness. Courage._


	11. Birthday Wishes

**_Authors note:_** I apologize for the longer than usual wait, this chapter was much longer than the rest, but it was really important to me to fit it all in. Anyways, thank you all again for the wonderful reviews and feed back! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 _Chapter eleven, Birthday Wishes_

Link stirred himself from sleep, his eyes dry and rough. He had barely slept that night, often standing up to clear his head out in the open air. No more tears came to him, he felt drained of all energy. _I suppose this is how life will be now._ He dressed himself in his training tunic, donning his fine sword on his hip, running his hand over his chest to feel the small necklace that hung around his neck. The sun was just dawning when he stepped out onto the street. On his left, he heard the slight ping of a hammer against metal, it was coming from his father's open workshop. Upon entering he found a young scraggly boy, forging some object or tool. He had met the boy before, Eric, he was his father's promising apprentice. _Former apprentice I suppose now._

"What are you doing?" Link asked patiently.

Eric tilted his head up, eyes red and droopy. "I'm working. I don't really know what I'm working on, but it's something."

A tinge of empathy coursed through him. While Eric had only known his father for a little less than a year, the boy grew very fond of his father, viewing him as a role model in his life, just as Link had. _Now is not the time to be a silent husk. This kid needs help._ "Yes. I used to do the same; hammer things for no reason. Although, I was never very good at it." He forced a small grin, hoping to bolster the boy's spirits.

"I heard him – your father – say that you had great potential as a blacksmith." Eric's small eyes were hidden by his shaggy hair.

Link sighed. "Yes. Sometimes I wish I had listened to him, and became his apprentice. But it was the choice I made. I can't take it back now." Link paused for a moment, eyeing the young boy. "What will you do now? You are of course always free to use this workshop, but what will you do now… that he's gone?" His heart sank with every mention of his father, but he was determined to trek on.

"I don't know. I never finished my training, so I will have to either find someone else to study under, or find a new profession." Eric peered up at Link, noting his tunic and sword. "Perhaps I will join the Guard."

"Well. If you ever choose to do that, send word to me, I will ensure you are put with Captain Kerrigan. You could never ask for a better teacher." Eric only nodded in response, returning to his work. Link turned to leave until Eric asked one last question.

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Seem so… strong. Unbroken."

Link bowed his head down, feeling the small necklace around his neck. He had a hard time coming up with a response, but he reached down into his heart, finding the long-sought answer. After a moments silence, he finally began. "In truth, I am not. I'm broken beyond words. Every inch of my soul aches in pain." He squared his body, placing a comforting hand on Eric's shoulder. "But I made a promise to my mother and father. I promised that I would always remain honest, kind, and most of all: courageous. It is my responsibility to bear the weight of loss on my shoulders, and to live on in their name, holding true to all they believed in. It is in this purpose that I find strength. Not because I want to, but because I have to. The pain will always be there, but I believe; or at least I hope it will dwindle away with time, and become more bearable." He cleared his throat. "It is my job to fill the void left with their living memories, and make something better out of it. That is what they would have wanted." The words emanated from deep within himself, he could sense the power behind it, as if discovering it for the first time. He wondered if he was even speaking it to Eric, or to himself. At any rate, it brought himself great comfort, and Eric seemed satisfied with his answer, a small hopeful grin reaching across his face.

"I hope that I can be as strong as you someday." Eric's voice was quiet, barely muttering the words, as if in self-doubt.

Link was admittedly taken aback by his statement. _I've never felt that strong… I feel the complete opposite sometimes,_ but he did not want to protest against Eric's new-found hope. "Well. I'm afraid I must go, Eric. Please call on me should you ever be in need."

"I will." Eric watched as Link left, remarking how determinedly he went forth, wishing to bear the same courage he had.

Link met Jonathan outside his family's small cottage, seeing him off before he returned to the Akkala Citadel, and he himself returning to training. They exchanged emotional goodbyes, embracing each other.

"You take care of yourself, Link. You have friends here, please don't suffer through this on your own, okay?"

"I will…"

"Oh and, don't forget to take care of that scratch on your face." Dan grinned a little. Link reached up to feel the scab, having almost entirely forgotten about it.

He chuckled a little, finally saying: "I will." Link grab Jonathan's forearm, and giving it one last firm shake, before leaving to return to the barracks. He felt guilty to admit it, but he was glad Ariel was not awake yet, to see him off. He recalled the light kiss on the cheek she had given him the day before, and he did not possess the energy or desire to confront what it entailed; at least not today. _I can't run away from it forever. Someday I will have to face it – but not today._

* * *

"Link. Are you certain? You are free to have the remainder of the weekend." Commander Varin spoke lightly to him, in a sympathetic tone.

Link sighed. "Yes Commander… The Royal Guard is all I have left now, but I thank you for your concern." he trailed off, denying any tear that dared to appear.

The Commander gazed at him with a skeptical eye, but eventually motioned him into the training yard. Link's comrades all quietly gave their condolences, offering encouraging smiles and pats on the back. He thanked them all with a small forced grin. When the formalities were out of the way, Link ordered his men to form up, preparing for a debriefing from Commander Varin.

"Good morning gentlemen. Since we did not have a chance to group up yesterday," he glanced at Link knowingly. "I would like to be the first to congratulate you all on surviving your Trial of the Wild. It stood as your last major test before you could be declared Knights of the Royal Guard. However, we still have a mere five weeks until your graduation. The first order of business will be to have you all measured and outfitted with your new armor. It will be a bit of a lengthy process, but you fellas need to look the part, eh?" he chuckled lightly. "Your morning exercise will continue as normal, but you will now be spending the majority of your time guarding your new posts. There will be no more evening classes. Once your shift is complete you will be free to spend the rest of the day as you wish. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" they responded.

"Excellent. There is one last thing I would like to mention before we begin. In approximately five weeks, there will be a great tournament held within the castle, in honor of Princess Zelda's seventeenth birthday. As it just so happens you all will be graduating on that same day, which means every one of you will be permitted to join the tournament if you so choose to. It is an open invitation, and I have no doubt that some of our best knights will participate. The reason I bring this to your attention now is that while the King has not openly expressed it yet, I believe that he intends to appoint the winner of the tournament to be the Princess's personal Knight Escort. As it was the tradition held by this kingdom for centuries before the rise of the Calamity, the Princess will begin her travels across the land, visiting the various springs and holy sites to pray and further awaken the sealing power that resides in her bloodline. This task will of course require a dedicated knight to ensure her safety as she traverses the wild. I do not need to tell you how incredibly important this responsibility is. Keeping that in mind, I encourage you all to continue practicing your swordsmanship, especially if you plan on participating in the tournament. Understood?"

"Yes sir!"

After the Commanders long winded announcement, the regiment began their normal exercise routines, starting with a six-mile run. At this point they had all grown so used to it, that the task was relatively easy to complete, serving as little more than a warm up. Link was glad to be back out in the wild, breathing in the fresh air, but his mind dwelled on the Commander's words. _Her seventeenth birthday. Seems strange for some reason._ It was at that moment it occurred to him that his own birthday was in two days. _I must have forgotten since…_ The tinge of sorrow stopped his thought, the aching feeling making its despondent return, as he tried to eject the thought. _Keep it together!_ He shouted at himself internally, hoping to harden his emotions. _At this point I don't think I even care anymore. It's just another day, like any other. Just a number on a calendar._ He clinched his jaw tighter, increasing his pace, wanting to take his mind off the matter. _Becoming the Princess's appointed knight. An even stranger idea. Maybe it would be best if I avoided the tournament. I don't believe it would be appropriate for me to assume such a responsibility if I won, given my… history._ He grunted begrudgingly. _I would like to still compete however. Perhaps, if I make it to the finals, I will allow my opponent to win._ The idea felt wrong to him somehow, dishonest almost. Commander Varin would have scolded him if he found out he purposefully slacked off. He stirred in frustration, _how can I keep true to my responsibilities? Forced failure is not an option, and yet I fear that success will inevitably still lead to failure._

 _What would father say? Probably something along the lines of: 'if anything is worth doing, you might as well put everything you have into it.'_ His feet pounded on the ground in great strides, as he pumped his arms back and forth, sprinting as fast as he could, but he was so absentminded about his increase in pace that he was surprised to find himself alone in the wild a while later. He slowed down to a jog, peering over his shoulder to see his comrades. Dan sprinted over the small hill, breathing heavily.

"Hey. You good? I've never seen you run that fast, I couldn't catch up, until you slowed down."

"I'm fine. Just trying to clear my head." By the time he responded, Dan caught up, and was jogging alongside him.

"I never had the chance to ask you, but how did you get that nasty scab on your brow and cheek? Looks like it will grow to be a pretty telling scar."

"I got it from a silver Bokoblin, in Damel Forest."

Dan chuckled. "Remind me to ask you all about what crazy things happened in that damned forest later!"

Link only nodded in response. _You wouldn't believe me if I did tell you._

Dan continued, "You plan on joining the tournament?"

Link sighed. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Well why not?" insisted Dan. Link did not respond, only shooting him a furrowed glance.

 _You know why,_ he thought to himself.

Dan leaned in, almost speaking in a whisper. "Why does that matter? It would be your job to protect _her,_ to be with her, if you won."

Link interjected. "We don't even know if the winner will even be appointed. Commander Varin only suspects it."

"Well then you have no reason to _not_ participate, if it is merely a suspicion." Dan's reasoning pinned him a corner. "Besides, if the King does appoint the winner, and it happens to be you, there would be no one better suited for the job." Dan glanced at Link. "People gossip about you, you know? About how you bested the King in a swordfight. I think almost everyone would be rooting for you, even the King. Didn't you save his daughter years ago?"

"You make it sound like I don't have a choice in the matter." Link was growing irritated with Dan's insistent nature.

"I don't mean to bring you down. But Link, isn't this how you could serve the kingdom the best? By using your skills to keep the Princess safe?"

 _Dammit._ Link only grunted in response, but he reluctantly considered his friends reasoning. To his relief, Dan finally let the subject go, and silently jogged next to him. After mulling over the idea in his head, he came to his decision unenthusiastically. _Fine. I will participate in the tournament. I will seriously consider accepting any duty placed on me, should the King choose to do so. If I even win that is… Goddess I pray there is someone better than me…_ He sighed. _That's not something I thought I would ever say._

* * *

Zelda stared blankly at the open journal, quill in hand. She found it hard to focus, and record her thoughts. She grew frustrated, and closed the journal, placing it on her bedside table. Ever since seeing Link the day before, at the funeral, she could not focus. Not even her books and studies could hold her interest. She recollected they empty expression on his face, the strain in his voice, his swollen eyes. She felt helpless to comfort him. _I don't know what I could have said to help him. I've never experienced loss like that. Goddess help him, I don't know what to do._

After releasing a somber sigh, she gathered her books and left her room, hoping that the open air of the Library would clear her head. She briskly walked down the lengthy halls of the castle, eventually turning down the corridor that led to the Library. She passed one Royal Guard, who bowed, saying 'my lady.' She thanked him, trying to recall his name, as she continued her walk. _Gael? Ga- Galen. That was it. Galen._ She adjusted the books in her arms, following the bend of the corridor.

 _Link!?_ She saw him standing guard by the open doorway to the Library, the unmistakable red scab that ran down his brow. _I'll have to find out how he got that later, I couldn't have asked him last I saw him... at his father's funeral_. She increased her pace, picking up the front of her dress slightly off the ground so that she would not trip. He snapped to attention, bowing slightly an offering a proper 'my lady,' but she did not care for what was _proper_ right now.

"What are you doing here Link? So soon. Surely, they would allow you time off. At least for the remainder of the weekend?" There was a tinge of urgency in her words, _how could they call him back so soon? He just lost his father for crying out loud, his only remaining family._

"I requested to return, my lady." His voice was unwavering, lacking any real emotion.

"Why!?" She grabbed his arm, expressing her concern. He did not pull away, but it was clear it made him uncomfortable.

"It is my duty, my lady." Again, his response was tempered, and even.

 _How can he be so calm, so void of emotion at a time like this?_ "Link, there are plenty of men that can take your position, until you are ready to return."

His head snapped to the side, opening his mouth as if he was about to spew out all the emotion he withheld. However, after halting his words before they left his tongue, he clamped his jaw together, and regained his composure before continuing. "The Royal Guard is all I have left, my lady. I only wish to fulfill my duty." Link stiffened his back, returning to his resolutely attentive stance.

She glanced both ways, ensuring they were alone, before speaking to him in a soft whisper. "Link… You are not alone in this, please don't shut me out. Not again."

"I thank you for your concern and condolences, my lady." Link spoke loudly and formally, bowing again. He then turned his head back, gazing ahead, standing at attention. She heard Galen's footsteps behind her, as he was just returning from his patrol. She had no doubt that it was because of Galen he so abruptly ended their conversation.

 _No. Not again. I lost you those few years ago, and just when I thought there was hope for salvaging this… We have to start all over again._ She wanted to plead with him further, resisting the urge to grab his face to force him to make eye contact. _I can't. He could get in trouble._ With a solemn voice, she bade him a _formal_ goodbye, leaving with a bitter pain in her heart. As she entered the Library, she kept an open ear turned towards the door. She heard Galen quietly scold him.

" _You draw to much attention to yourself Link. You are to be an invisible sentinel. Such is our position."_

" _My apologies. It won't happen again."_ He sounded like a child that had been reprimanded, utterly stricken with guilt.

She bit her tongue, wanting to turn around and yell at Galen, explaining that it was not Link's fault, but she figured it would only make the situation worse. And so, with a heavy heart she traversed down the stairs into the open Library. _He needs help. I can only hope that he has someone he is willing to bear his soul to, because in this state he will never allow himself to speak to me freely. What horrible ideas are floating around in his head, what terrors haunt him?_

She attempted to press the events that had just transpired out from her mind, hoping to finish her reading, but she only ended up staring at the wall again, resting her head in her hand that was propped up on the table. _Will I ever get him back? The real him. Not this empty husk._ She slammed her book shut in frustration, pushing her chair out from the table and walked to the Observatory on the far side of the Library. She peered out over the balcony, gazing at the gentle rolling hills of Hyrule Kingdom. _Maybe he will win the tournament, and be appointed as my Knight. Mine. Then he will have to be at my side. That is if he even joins the tournament._ She sighed, resting her hands on the wall. _I guess I'll find out in five weeks. On my birthday._

It was on this thought that her memory returned. _Wait! That means his birthday is in two days! I have to get him something… A gift. Anything. But what?_ She ravaged her mind, trying to think of something that he valued. _Sweet cakes!_ She recalled one night she spent with him when she brought him a sweet cake that she snuck from the dinner table. He had never had one before then, but when he tasted the small muffin sized cake, his face lit up with a boyish grin, in sheer bliss.

" _This is amazing!" he shouted, still chewing._

 _She laughed until she cried. "I'm glad you like it!" How endearing she thought he was; just adorable._

" _Oh, it's a good thing I don't have access to these all the time, I would get fatter than a house!" He rubbed his lips clean with his hand, chuckling lightly. "I could eat those all day!"_

" _I believe that we have the best baker in the entire kingdom in out kitchens. He never ceases to amaze us with his delectable treats." She could not help containing her smile._

" _If I wasn't training to be a knight, I think I would be a baker, and make sweet cakes all day!"_

" _You can't do that, father tells me you are growing to be one of the most talented knights in your class!"_

" _Eh. Well, maybe I can pick it up as a hobby." He grinned, and his deep blue eyes flashed under the moonlight._

Zelda found herself smiling contently at the memory. _How energetic he used to be. How I miss it._ Her mind was made up. She would give him a freshly baked sweet cake for his birthday. It was only a small offering of good will, but she hoped it would lighten his spirits. _I'll have it as a nice surprise for him._ She devised the logistics of the surprise, planning on having the baker prepare the sweet cake early in the morning, then have one of the laundry maids place it on his bed in the barracks as she gathered the knights clothing. The laundry maids knew exactly which bed belonged to who, since they had to ensure the uniforms were returned to their proper owners.

With a hop and a skip, she left the Observatory, exiting through the Library. Galen and Link both bowed as she left. As she walked down the corridor she glanced over her shoulder, looking at Link, who stood still as stone. _Don't worry Link. I'll soften you up eventually, and then maybe I can help you with your grief. Just you wait!_ The following morning, she spoke with the laundry maids, determining which one oversaw Link's barracks.

"Of course, my lady, I know which one Link is. All the maids do." The maid grinned mischievously and giggled. "He's arguably the most handsome of them all, with his fine golden hair, and blue eyes. Even with that gruesome scratch on his face."

A hint of jealously coursed through Zelda. "Good." She said bluntly, not taking too kindly to her excessive words. "Then will you deliver something for me?"

"Yes, my lady." The maid raised a brow in interest as Zelda instructed her, but promised not to speak about the details of her delivery.

From there, she visited the head baker, and arranged for him to prepare a small sweet cake the following morning, and give it to the laundry maid. With a dutiful bow, the baker agreed to fulfill her request. _Perfect. With any luck, it will at the very least offer him a moment of happiness._ She wanted to do more, but understood that the situation was a _sensitive_ issue, and did not want to force Link into a compromising scenario. _I hope you enjoy it. You deserve it._

* * *

Link wiped away the sweat that beaded on his forehead. After their morning exercise, he and some of his comrades sparred for a while, refining their blade work. The regiment enjoyed their new freedoms, their only obligations now being their morning exercise, and their guard duties after that. Most of the knights went down to Castle Town, and drank at the inn, as well as involving themselves in some other promiscuous activities. Link did not join them, opting to instead ride out into the wild and enjoy the cool and tranquility of the late evening. He preferred it over the loud singing and drunken company; out there in the wild he could meditate. It was during these isolated moments that he would weep, pouring out every last tear until they were gone, before returning home, covering his face with the emotionless facade he had created. His heart was still raw from losing his beloved father, but he refused to display such emotions in front of his comrades, or to anyone for that matter.

Once he stretched after their sparring session, Link returned to his barracks to bathe and change. He walked to his bed and noticed a strange object on his pillow. _A sweet cake?_ It dawned on him after a brief pause. _Zelda!_ Underneath the small treat was a piece of paper, inscribed on it was:

 _Happy birthday! – Your friend._

There was no mistaking her handwriting. He held the small cake in the palm of his hand, hesitant to eat it. _I really shouldn't, it would be inappropriate to accept such a gift. But goddess they taste so good… It would be rude to decline…_

"What's that you got there eh?" asked one of his comrades. Link handed him the small paper. "It's your birthday today!?" Link nodded 'yes' in response. "Well shit. Happy birthday, Sergeant! We'll take you down to the inn to celebrate when our shifts are done, how does that sound?"

Link shook his head and opened his mouth to decline but Liam protested from across the room. "C'mon Link. Why don't you join us? It will be fun." Liam approached, and grabbed the piece of paper. "Looks like a woman's handwriting. I think someone has a secret admirer." Liam grinned devilishly. "No doubt one of the maids. They swoon over you left and right," Liam laughed. "Guess we can't all be as good looking as our young Sergeant huh?"

"You gonna eat that sweet cake, Sergeant?" someone yelled from the corner of the room.

Link shrugged his shoulders, _I guess it couldn't hurt. Besides, she must have gone through a lot of work to get it here. I wish she hadn't, but I still feel terrible for the other day. It would be rude to not accept it._ After making up his mind,he sunk his teeth into it, tasting the cakey, sweet rich flavor. The taste and smell brought back the nostalgic memory of the first time he had ever eaten one with Zelda. _How I wish I could go back._

"So, you going to come with us tonight?" Liam asked again. He then leaned in, speaking personably. "Listen, we just want to help cheer you up. Through thick and thin, we have your back."

Link considered his change in tone. He knew Liam meant it, they all felt bad for him, and earnestly wanted to help. Link sighed, still chewing, deterring his swelling emotion. "Well. I guess I can't say no to that."

* * *

Link reported to his post, taking his position by the Library door. Galen told him that today would be different, he would now no longer go on patrol, and instead hold his post for the entirety of his shift, and Galen would now walk a consistent perimeter. This was the first time he was entrusted to stand guard alone for an extended time.

"Since you will be graduating soon, you will have to get used to being on your own."

He nodded, and watched as Galen left. He was adamant about staying vigilant, but he allowed his mind to drift off every so often. Few people passed by. The occasional guard, a maid or two, or some of the librarians. Their faces had grown familiar by then, as the same people generally traveled the same halls. One of the maids giggled a little as she passed, bashfully eyeing him as she walked. _Why? I didn't even do anything,_ he wondered as he furrowed his brow. He then recalled Liam's comment earlier that morning about the maids. He grunted amusedly, _am I really that blind to such things? Doesn't really matter I guess._ He dwelled on a number of topics, thinking about the day before, the upcoming tournament, all while trying his best to avoid thinking about his father. The in-between moments were not so bad. If he had a specific goal he was working to achieve, he could push aside all pain of loss. However, it was the dreaded moments in isolation and quiet that he struggled to harness his mind. Images of his father, wrapped up in linen, skin a grey and lifeless, flashed in his mind. His heart pumped painfully, his breathing grew forced and short. _No. Stop. I promised to stay strong._

"In truth, I am not. I'm broken beyond words. Every inch of my soul aches in pain…"

"It is in this purpose that I find strength. Not because I want to, but because I have"

His own words looped in his mind. His throat grew dry, and his eyes watered. He stirred himself, mashing his teeth together, trying to pull himself from the brink of unimaginable depression. _Honesty, kindness, and courage._ He exhaled, _courage. Courage._ He closed his eyes and focused on controlling his breathing, allowing the images to pass away. When his breathing returned to normal he opened his eyes and sighed. _How I wish I could see you again, father._ His heart still sank, but was glad he retained his composure.

His stomach growled after a few hours on duty. _I could sure go for another one of those sweet cakes. I forgot how delicious they are._ He tried to convince himself that he had not felt a surge of excitement over receiving a gift from Zelda, but eventually gave up his fruitless effort. _Speaking of her, it's about the time she usually…_ Right on que he heard her footsteps emanating down the hallway. He snapped to attention, and bowed as she passed.

"My lady."

She stopped at the threshold and smiled. "Seventeen already hmm?" She leaned in and whispered. "Happy birthday, _Link."_

His heart fluttered in his chest, bolstering his spirit, but per usual demand, he maintained his formal tone, scolding his rising emotions. "Thank you, my lady." He reached down and patted his stomach, gesturing his secret gratitude for the cake.

Zelda smiled and chuckled lightly. "You're welcome. I'm glad it brought you some happiness." She waited for a response, but he only nodded. He grew uncomfortable under her gaze, and felt his ears turn red. "If I may ask, Link. How did you get that wound on your brow?" It was not her first choice in the list of questions she desperately wanted to ask, but she believed it was the only one he would actually answer. She figured she would start small.

Link squirmed a little, desiring to return to his guard. "I received it while on my trial."

"Yes, but how?"

"I faced a Bokoblin, in Damel Forest."

Zelda's face contorted to a shocked expression. "They sent you into Damel Forest with no weapons!? And you made it out alive?"

"Yes, my lady. I almost didn't make-," He closed his mouth. _I've said to much._ "My lady, please forgive me, but I must return to my duty."

Zelda frowned. He could not help but feel awful for shutting her out like this, seeing how it upset her. She sighed, finally responding in a melancholy voice. "I apologize. I did not mean to pry." She nervously pulled her hair over her ear, looking down at the ground, finally saying in a wavering voice: "Link… I meant what I said that day. I will always be here for you. Just call out to me and I will be here."

He said nothing. Everything in his body wanted to surge forward and embrace her, to feel her warmth and comfort, but he could not. _I can't. I just can't._ He finally nodded, and spoke. "There is no need my lady, but I thank you, truly." He could see her eyes glistening with moisture. _Tears?_ The sight tore away at his soul. _How can I fight on two fronts? First father… Now this, again._ He felt nauseous.

Zelda finally sighed, and forced a smile. "Still. Just think on it." She left without saying goodbye.

 _I guess I could use a drink at the inn after all. This is pulling me apart._

When his shift was finished, Link changed himself out of his armor, and into a comfortable light tunic. He accompanied Liam, Dan, and a few other knights to the inn. Once they were inside, Liam ordered a large round of ale for the group.

"So, Sergeant!" shouted one of the older members of their regiment. "I heard you got a special present from a secret _someone."_

Link rolled his eyes.

"Well?" he insisted.

"Well what?" he responded curtly

"Ah come on, who is she?"

Link grunted, drinking from his mug. "That's not really important."

"Doesn't sound like its 'not important,'" he jested. Link only shot him an intense scolding glare, which shut him up immediately.

 _At least I can still pull rank._

"Ah, don't take it personally," Liam interjected. "He's always been a bit – closed off." Liam stood up, holding his mug high. "Come now, let's toast to Link's birthday, he's become a man today!" The group all shouted jovially, clasping their mugs together. "To Link, who's probably the youngest bastard to ever graduate as a Knight of the Royal Guard."

Link grinned, before downing his drink. His head felt hazy after a second mug, but it was a welcome change to the normal pain and discomfort. His comrades continued to drink their fill, but Link was satisfied with his few drinks. He watched in silence as his friends grew sluggish and slurred, chuckling a little bit. _You guys will feel it in the morning, trust me,_ but he did not stop them. The amusement of the scene was a welcome distraction to his troubled mind. When the night grew dark, he and his comrades walked back to their barracks, Link taking the lead. When they returned they all drunkenly slumped into bed, breathing contently. Link stared up at the blank ceiling as he tried to get comfortable, recounting his eventful, and emotionally jarring day, before finally drifting off to a much-needed sleep.

* * *

She counted down the days until her birthday, anxiously awaiting the tournament that she hoped would lead to her father appointing a Royal Escort for her. She heard rumors of Link's skill in combat, and desperately hoped he would participate in the tournament. _He would win. I just know it. That is, if he allowed himself to._ Her mind drifted to her mother and father's fears that Link would rise to be chosen by the Master Sword, meaning only one thing: that Ganon would return. _It would make sense if he were my Appointed Knight, much like father was to mother._ She remembered reading about the heroes of the past, some having close relationship with the Descendant of that generation, and some only ever meeting them a handful of times before. _This is all speculation however. We can't even say for sure until, or if, the Sword chooses him. For now, it remains in father's hands._

With every passing day, her nerves grew more on edge. _I wonder how Link feels about all this. He doesn't even know about is potential role in our kingdoms future._ She promised not to tell him, until it was undeniably true. 'He has enough to worry about as is,' her mother warned. She saw him regularly on her visits to the Library, he always greeted her in the same calm demeanor. She could not help but feel awkward, the strain of their relationship was taking its toll on her. She considered asking him if was going to participate in the tournament, but feared that it would only scare him away if she mentioned it. _This suspense is killing me._ Day after day she continued her routine, growing my impatient with every visit.

After what seemed like ages, her birthday had finally come, and she leapt from bed, putting on a simple gown. Once the maid finished helping her dress, she rushed to the elegant dining hall, meeting her father for breakfast.

"Where's mother?" she asked as she sat down.

"She had some business to attend to in Castle Town, you know how she likes to keep herself busy." Her father smiled kindly to her. "She always has been better at diplomatic matters than me."

"And you have always been better at ensuring the safety of our home, father." She squinted one eye, smiling. Her father chuckled, graciously accepting the compliment. "Father," she began bluntly. "Are you going to appoint a Royal Escort for me today, after the tournament?"

Her father lowered his spoon from his lips at his daughter's sudden question. "Perhaps. If I find a worthy Knight to take on such a responsibility." Zelda knew what he was thinking, there was more to his statement underneath.

"That's why you proposed the tournament, isn't it? To find a worthy Knight." _Am I allowed to cast a vote?_

He grinned mischievously. "Maybe. But don't you worry about that, my dear. It's your birthday today, try to enjoy yourself. Your party will commence tonight, after the tournament. Speaking of which, I have a present for you. I'm having it brought to your room while we eat, I suggest you take a look at it before joining me in the courtyard."

She wondered what it could be. After breakfast, she bid her father goodbye before rushing back to her room to view the _present_ her father spoke of. Laid out on her bed was an elegant gown of rich, dark blues, pure whites, and intricate golden accents. Around the high waist was a golden band that bore the Royal Crest, and above that, a small golden Triforce. She gawked at the majesty of such a finely made gown, _it must have been made by a Gerudo, they have always produced the finest clothing!_ Her handmaiden was startled by her exuberant request to change, apologizing for making her help her change again.

The dress fit perfectly, accentuating her shapely figure, and felt smooth as silk. She recalled seeing a similar coronation gown that once belonged to her, although it was old and falling apart. _Perhaps it is based off of that one._

"Oh, my lady!" exclaimed her handmaid. "How beautiful you look. You are just as stunning as your dear mother, even more so, if I dare say."

"Thank you, Gretel." She gazed at herself in the mirror, filled with joy at how regal it made her look. Her mother would have reprimanded her for her vanity, but she truly _felt_ lovely in the gown. She ran her hand over her flowing hair, a smile reaching across her lips. "Gretel, would you be so kind, and braid my hair? Like mother wears her hair, during great banquets or parties."

"Of course, my lady!" Her handmaid was hard at work, weaving her long golden locks in a mesmerizing fashion. She wrapped a long braid up and around her head, close to her forehead, almost forming a crown-like shape. She loosely pulled the remainder of her hair back, so that it flowed freely behind her in a loose braid.

"Just stunning, my lady. I mean it."

"Thank you again, Gretel, you never cease to amaze me."

"You are welcome, my lady. Now hurry, I believe you father will be waiting for you in the courtyard."

Zelda grinned, briskly walking from her room, and out into the open air of the courtyard. Her horse was already prepared, and saddled, standing next to her father. On his back hung the Legendary Sword. It was a rarity seeing him bear it. Since the kingdom was at peace, he did not have much use for it. There truly never was a more finely crafted weapon, its bright white steel would flash in the sunlight, its scabbard was a deep blue, with fine golden accents. She then realized that the scabbard was the exact same color as her dress, and bore similar golden accents. _I wonder if he did that on purpose?_

"Goddess above, you look marvelous my dear. I'm glad it fits! What do you think of it?"

She ran into her father's arms. "I love it father! It is beautiful."

"Good! I'm glad." He looked down at her. "And your hair. You look more like your lovely mother every day."

Zelda grinned ear to ear. "Is mother not here yet?"

"She will meet us at the tournament grounds later. Come on, we should get going." The King helped her up onto her horse, then leapt up onto his horse, in a sprightly fashion. "Let's go." A small detachment of Royal Guards followed suit silently.

When they arrived at the training grounds, the graduating knights were already in formation, donned in their new armor, helmets tucked under their arms. The regiment snapped to attention when they arrived. Commander Varin bowed and greeted the King, before presenting his men. A small crowd, primarily being family members of the knights, gathered around the training grounds, to watch the ceremony. Zelda saw Link at the front of the regiment. She thought he looked so striking in his new armor, the scratch on his brow and cheek now gone, only leaving a small scar in its place. _It makes him look quite intimidating to the other men, I'm sure._ Around his left shoulder hung a small blue lanyard, signifying his rank as Sergeant. His long golden hair was neatly pulled back and tied behind his head, and over his ears. Her father stood before the men, and began his speech. "Gentlemen. I thank you all for enduring your long trials of training, and for staying strong. Your regiment went from a large group of thirty men, down to the mere fifteen that stand before me now. I have no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you is worthy to finally be named a Knight of the Royal Guard. And so, with Commander Varin's consent, I would like to present you with your final piece of uniform, to signify your completion of training."

The King nodded to Commander Varin, who had an assistant come forth, carrying their new long blue capes in his arms. Starting with Link, the King draped one of the flowing cape over his shoulders, locking the small loops into the hooks that were near his collarbones, and shook his hand, congratulating him. The King walked down the line, draping the capes over their shoulders, and shaking their hands congratulating them. When his work was done, he returned to the front of the regiment.

"Sergeant. You and your men may now take a knee, and swear your oaths." The King smiled.

In unison, they all knelt, much like they did when they graduated from basic training, and began their oaths together.

"We kneel on this day, the goddess bearing witness that we swear an oath of service and fealty, to our King and Queen, our Kingdom, and to all its people. We will be the purveyors of peace, and justice in our land, the silent guardians in the night, and the protectors of the Royal Family. In the name of Hylia, we swear to uphold our sacred duties as watchmen, until we are released from service, or die in pursuit of creating a better world."

The King laughed from his belly. "Rise gentlemen, as Knights of the Royal Guard!" The crowd erupted into cheers and applauds. The newly appointed Knights of the Royal Guard stood with pride in their hearts, and smiles on their faces. Even Link grinned brightly. "Now. You men are free to celebrate your achievement as you please. And to those of you who wish to participate in the tournament in honor of my daughters seventeenth birthday, you may march your way to the southern gate." The King smiled, turning slightly to acknowledge the Princess. "You are dismissed gentlemen."

The crowd cheered again, and Royal Guards exchanged hugs and heartfelt handshakes. It all felt like déjà vu to Zelda, it was a mere two years ago that she had last seen Link graduate from basic training. She feared that it would also end the same way. She caught a glimpse of his golden hair in the crowd, as he turned his eyes towards her. To her surprise he did not bow his head, or shy away, he only stared wide eyed at her, intently gazing at her flowing gown and hair. She bashfully grinned, realizing what his wide-eyed stare entailed. _I think he likes the dress too,_ she he finally made eye contact, he realized his mistake and looked away in embarrassment. She wanted to tell him it was okay. _Oh how I hope he will participate in the tournament._

She and her father rode down through castle town, exiting the southern gate, peering out on the lush green hills of Hyrule Field. Directly ahead of them was the newly restored Sacred Grounds, and to the left of that was a small makeshift camp, complete with a large array of sparring arenas, archery targets, and a plethora of small tents and vendors. When they arrived at the camp, they found that the Queen was hard at work organizing the event with her advisors. She greeted her daughter with a warm hug.

"I'm sorry I wasn't at breakfast to wish you a happy birthday, darling. But my, how you look wonderful in your new dress!"

"Thank you, mother! It is a wonderful present." Zelda replied with a bright smile, grasping the skirt in her hands.

"Well! We will talk more later, there is still more I have to prepare for before the tournament." She leaned in and quietly spoke in Zelda's ear. "How was the graduation? Anyone in particular like your dress?"

Zelda grinned shyly. "It was good." She did not answer the second question. Her mother only laughed before walking to the tent at the center of the camp.

Knights from across the kingdom began to filter in, to partake in the tournament. Zelda kept a watchful eye out in the sea of sword wielding men; many of them soldiers, and a few apart of the Royal Guard. To her dismay she did not see Link anywhere, not even with his bright blond hair in contrast with the predominantly brown-haired Hylians. There were many of the other races there too, although not to compete, but to set up trades. Many Gerudo women came, selling their brightly colored clothing, and a few Zora trading fresh fish. The Gorons and Rito did not have many tangible items to offer, but were there to offer their services in a vast array of mediums. Among them were a handful of Sheikah tribe members, but their numbers were few. Ambassadors from the various races were also there, offering the King and Queen their best wishes, and warm welcomes of continued cooperation. This cooperation was hard fought for after the fall of the Calamity, and so the races all had mutual respect for each other. They also offered Zelda kind congratulations for her birthday, bringing fine gifts. The Rito Ambassador, Raelynn, brought her a delicate quill, explaining that she heard the Princess was a scholarly woman, and loved to write. She thanked her dearly, it truly was a beautiful quill. After nearly two hours of waiting and preparing, all the participating knights were registered and placed into respective positions on the roster. Their numbers reached close to eighty men, spread across ten separate sparring arenas on the open field. Many more knights poured in, but only to watch, if they were lucky enough to not be placed on duty. After a short speech presented by the King, the tournament had officially begun. Zelda continued to keep an eye out for Link, scanning the crowd. She did not realize she was tapping her nervous foot on the ground until her mother placed a hand on her knee.

"You may stand, if that will stop you from fidgeting."

She took her mother's advice, and stood up peering out on the sparring pits. For every square, there were two officials, awarding points for successful strikes or disarms, declaring the winner of the bout in a best two out of three. _There he is!_ She finally spotted Link at the far end, wearing a light tunic, and leather pauldrons, fighting someone who stood almost a half a foot taller than him. She watched him calmly take his stance after bowing to his opponent. With a single swish of his sword he struck the soldier on his shoulder before he could even react. They began again, Link defeating his opponent as if he was fighting an inanimate object. He fought with such grace and vigor, moving like a flash of lightning.

The knights fought on, sometimes the crowd cheering loudly at the victor of a certain fight. The largest group gathered around Link's camp, which came as no surprise. He had not been struck a single time, reigning as the champion of his pit. Once all ten arenas had declared their individual winners, the ten knights were brought to the centermost pit, right in front of the royal audience. Among their numbers stood seven Royal Guards; Link being one of them, and three soldiers. The soldiers were quickly weeded out, defeated by the far superior Royal Guards. Zelda watched anxiously, as one by one, Link advanced through the ranks. At this point, he had sustained a few strikes from his opponents, but still won out the overall matchups. The closest in opposition to Link was an Royal Guard who Zelda estimated to be about in his late twenties. He was revered for his prowess in battle, and by the way things were playing out, it was clear that the two would face off in the end. The semi-finals were a tense moment for her, she prayed every second that Link would win, which he did with relative ease. The crowd roared loudly when the two finalists were declared.

A young official took the stand. "Here before you stand Tormin of the Akkala Highlands, and Link of Castle Town." The crowd cheered even louder, some rooting for Tormin, but most shouting for Link.

"Looks like the crowd has a favorite," remarked the King to his wife, heartily. They exchanged meaningful glances. The King then stood and addressed the two knights. "Well done on making it here, gentlemen. You have both fought honorably. You may take a small break before you begin again."

The two knights bowed and thanked their King, striking off in opposite corners. After a brief break, the two returned to the center of the ring, shaking hands, offering luck to one another, signaling that they were ready. With a wave of the hand, the Kind bid them to begin.

Zelda's heart beat fast in anticipation. _Please win,_ is all that ran through her mind on a continuous loop. The crowd grew silent, intently watching their champions. The two circled each other, swords raised. With a confident step, Tormin struck forward, meeting Link's blade. With a twirl, Link retaliated with a calculated advance, striking in a flurry of silver steel. Their swords rang out, and echoed with every meeting. Link landed the first successful blow, and was awarded one point, this round was to be the best of five. Tormin grinned, surprised by his young opponent's skill. They proceeded again, much to the dismay of Zelda, ending in Tormin's favor. Link looked like he was holding back, which frustrated her beyond comprehension. The two ended up in a tie by the fourth round, the next win being the determining factor. The crowd cheered again, egging on the climactic fight. The King stood from his chair to watch the final fight closer. Zelda looked back at Link a saw a change in his eyes. He furrowed his brow, and bit his lip, as if he was locked in an inner conflict, gripping the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. That was when he looked at her for the briefest of moments, and his eyes softened. They burned a deep sapphire blue, with a flash of familiarity upon them. The corner of his mouth curled up a little, before returning to his opponent. _He's going to do it!_

His sword flashed forwards so quick that Tormin was caught off guard, barely glancing the strike to his side, before being sent on the retreat. Link relentlessly perused, corralling him into the corner of the arena. Their swords locked at the hilt, and Link began to force him down, until Tormin kicked him the shin as hard as he could with his steel toed boot, causing Link to lose his balance. _What a cheap shot!_ She wanted to scream out, but held her tongue. Her father seemed upset by the unfavorable attack as well, but remained silent, knowing all too well the rules of their fight; nothing being off limits, just very frowned upon. _At least it is not counted as a point,_ she thought. Link stumbled on his back, barely blocking the incoming vertical attack, which sunk into the soft soil above his shoulder. Link did something unexpected at that moment, choosing to drop his sword and reached out, grabbing Tormin's arm by the cuff, and pulled him down, while placing his foot on his right hip, kicking him up and over, throwing him on his back. It all happened so fast that Zelda barely saw what happened, but in the shuffle, Link somehow managed to use his opponent's momentum against him, pulling himself above him, landing on top, with his sword back in hand, and placed at his enemy's throat.

 _He did it!_ Zelda cried out unexpectedly in a shrill cheerful chirp, clasping her hand over mouth after her embarrassing outburst. To her relief the roar of the crowd drowned her cry out. Link stood, helping his opponent from the ground, grabbing his forearm, and shaking it as a testament of no ill will against him. The King calmly stepped out onto the arena, congratulating both men for a job well done. The two knights knelt before him. Zelda bit her lip, anxiously awaiting to see her father's next action.

"My people. I thank you all for joining us on this day of celebration. As you all know, my daughter has turned seventeen today, which means that she is finally deemed old enough to travel through our beloved land to pray at the springs dedicated to the goddess Hylia, to further awake the gift given to her by her mother. This task requires _another_ however: a watchful knight to safeguard the Princess in her travels. I hereby request that Link, of Castle Town, the victor of this tournament, to become the Princess's Appointed Knight." He looked down at Link. "What do you say to my request, young one?"

Time seemed to slow for Zelda. She stared at Link with the intensity of a hawk, tightening her hands in to small fists, nervously awaiting his response. _Please say yes, please say yes..._

Link cleared his throat before answering. "You're wish is my command, your grace."

The King smiled, reaching behind him, drawing out the Master Sword. Its white steel flashed in the evening sun, an otherworldly glow about it. "Then I hereby name you the Princess's Appointed Knight, and charge you with the highest responsibility of ensuring her safety." He rested the sword on Link's shoulder. Link could feel the surprisingly warm steel against his skin, sending a shockwave of goosebumps down his spine. "Rise, Link."

Zelda could not believe her ears. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest, it was everything she hoped for. _The signs were so obvious, I was just so scarred they would not come true. But they have!_

"Report to the castle in one hour, we will have a proper uniform for your new position ready for you by then, and then we will iron out the details."

"Yes, your grace." Link bowed as the King left, with a jovial smile on his lips.

The crowd rushed the arena, many of them being Link's comrades, all loudly congratulating him. Zelda could not see him in the swarm of people.

"See. I told you not to worry about it, my dear," the King said in a jesting tone, as he walked up the stairs to the dais. "Besides, I already had a uniform prepared for his size, I would have been pretty upset if he hadn't won." A mischievous smile shot across his face before he laughed from his belly.

"So you did plan it all along!?" She asked insistently, not knowing if she wanted to hug or hit him.

"There was no one better suited for the job. He already saved your life once, those seven years ago." The King grunted, speaking under his breath. "Plus… He may have beaten me in a duel."

"He beat you!?" Her mouth hung open in a toothy smile.

"What can I say? I'm growing old."The King's bright smile diminished to a blank expression, before solemnly continuing, staring listlessly at something distance. He sighed heavily. "Besides. It could be any day now, when the Master Sword will choose him. I can feel that it is drawn to him already."

There was no longer denying the inevitable. Link was to be the next Chosen One, and she was to be the next Descendant. Her father's words were the finally answer, the final proof. _But when? Will we be ready?_

"But not yet, my dear. There is still time to prepare." The King forced a smile, seeing his daughter's distraught expression.

"Should we tell him? Now that we know for sure," she asked in a hushed and worried tone.

"No… We will let the Sword decide when it is time." Zelda returned her gaze to the crowd, searching for Link. Her father chuckled. "Come now. You'll see him soon enough, he will be taking his guard beside you during your party."

Zelda's ears perked up at his statement, failing to hide her excitement. _Now all I have to do is break you out of that silent husk you've built around yourself._


	12. Concealment

_Chapter twelve, Concealment_

Link thought the stream of congratulations would never end. Surrounding him was more than just his small regiment of comrades and his friends. Many other knights, and townsfolk that he had never met offered him bright smiles and handshakes. 'I've never seen such skill,' and 'you have a real talent boy,' were among the many compliments he received. The attention made him uncomfortable, awkwardly nodding and thanking the bystanders. His mind was slow to catch on to what actually happened. It all felt so distant, almost surreal, and dream like. The one thing that anchored him to the real world was his bruised leg. Pushing through the pain, he walked to a nearby guard's tent, sitting down on a small wooden bench. With a wince of pain, he pulled his leather boot off, examining the newly formed red and purple mark on his shin. It was tender to the touch and began to swell. _Not too bad actually. Nothing compared to the Lynel's attack._ He chuckled a little, feeling his stomach where the large circular scar was hidden underneath his tunic. With a stretch of his toes, he put his boot back on, ignoring the pain. He stood to leave, when Tormin entered the tent.

"I'm sorry about the leg. Knee jerk reaction I guess." Tormin sounded sincere. Link shrugged his shoulders with a small grin, gesturing 'It's okay.' Tormin began again, "You know, I doubted you at first. I thought that you were simply a talented boy, trying to boast his skill. But I see now, after my sound defeat, that the King made a wise decision in choosing you to be the Princess's Appointed Knight." He laughed a little. "People have told me before that I was the best fighter they had ever seen, but it seems that is no longer true. I congratulate you again, Link."

Link stepped forward, gripping his forearm, and giving it a strong shake. "You certainly put up a hell of a fight. Had me on the run a few times."

Tormin laughed in opposition. "Come now, show yourself some credit. I heard rumors that you once beat the King a duel – would that be a true statement?" Link only shrugged his shoulders again. A small knowing grin danced on Tormin's mouth. "Well. I won't keep you here, you have business to complete at the castle, and that leg won't make the walk very comfortable." With one last goodbye, Tormin left.

 _How do these rumors get around so quick? What other rumors do people spread about me?_ With a grunt he exited the tent, his shin burning with every step. As he left the busy camp, people continued to congratulate him on his victory and new promotion. _I hope this part will go away soon, I don't like this pressing attention._ He kept a steady pace, thanking and nodding as he left, until finally breaking free from the crowd after saying goodbye to Dan and Liam. He fastened his sword back around his waist, resting an arm on the pommel as he made his way to the southern entrance of Castle Town.

"Link!" someone shouted to him from the camp. He turned to see who it was.

 _Shit._ It was Ariel. _She must have heard I was competing._ Ariel sprinted forward to meet him on the gravel road.

"I saw you win! I can't believe it! And now you have been promoted to be the Princess's Appointed Knight." Her last statement brought on a change of tone. Link assumed it was jealousy that brought the sudden change.

"Yes. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it too." Link continued to walk, once Ariel had caught up.

"What will you do now?" she asked intently, peering up at him with adoration.

"I am to report to the castle. After that, I don't know."

"You father would be proud-." She hesitated, fearing that the topic of his father would upset him, but he maintained his pace, unflinching.

"Thank you," he finally responded.

"Link," she began with a sheepish voice. "I know it's been over a month since – that happened. I haven't seen you since then. I wanted to ask if you were okay. If I can help."

 _Can we please not talk about this right now? Goddess, I have too much on my mind as is._ He gathered himself before responding in a kind tone. "I'm fine, I promise. Thank you."

She did not seem convinced by his answer, but left it alone. After an awkward silence, Ariel spoke up. "Do you think you will be very busy, once you start your new job?"

"I believe so. But I like staying busy." In honesty, he did not know whether or not his new position would keep he very busy, but he knew where Ariel intended to take the conversation, which he hoped to dissuade.

"Do you think you will have time to visit us, my mother and I, often? We would be glad to have your company. A warm supper would always be ready." Ariel clasped her hands behind her back, after pulling her long dark hair over her ear.

Link sighed heavily. "I can't say for certain." He felt guilty for letting her down, but he knew he could not lead her on.

Ariel's frowned. "That's unfortunate. My offer still stands, of course, should you ever be in town, but I understand."

"Thank you." They passed through the southern gate by then, entering the sprawling town square. He turned to face Ariel. "I'm afraid I must go. I have to clean myself up before I report for duty."

"Of course. It was nice seeing you again, Link. Take care of yourself." Her expression was still downtrodden, sad to see him leave again, longing for something more.

Link bowed his head a little, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you. Take care, Ariel." He felt her gaze on his back as he left. He felt guilty, but relieved to finally be back on his way to the castle alone. He returned to his barracks, bathing himself as fast as he could, so that he could make it to the castle in time. He slipped his Royal Guards armor back on, ensuring that every inch of it was up to standard and shining brightly. With his sword back on his hip, he left the barracks, setting a brisk pace.

He still felt uneasy about what had transpired at the tournament. When he progressed to the final round he fought himself at every turn, trying to decide if he would allow his opponent to win, or to give it his all. He recalled the defining moment was when he gazed up to _her_ , to Zelda _. Goddess. She radiated under the warm sun. Her eyes…_ It was in that brief moment, that all doubt left him. There were no longer two voices shouting in his mind, arguing over the correct course of action. In that instant that only one voice echoed true in his heart: _'Do it. Fight. Win!'_ His soul was at peace, and his mind grew clear. There was no more pain, no more fear; only purpose, and sheer determination. His mind and spirit felt as one, commanding his body to strike forth with power and speed, and what followed was a blur of motion, ending in his victory.

 _I wish I always had that singlemindedness. It felt – right. Pure._ Doubt had crept back in after the adrenaline of the fight had passed, and the second voice in his head returned. _I should have declined. But it looks like I can't get out of it now. Maybe it won't be so bad._

He was greeted by servant who was instructed to meet him at the first gatehouse. The elderly man led him into the castle through a service entrance, taking him through a maze of servant's halls. He had not seen that section of the castle before, so he committed the layout of the servant's area to memory, in case he needed to recall that information for directions. They climbed a narrow spiraling stair case until they came upon a corridor of servant's quarters. From there, the old man ushered him into a small square bedroom.

"This is to be your new room. You are free to rearrange the furniture if you wish. The laundry maids come by on Tuesdays and Fridays, so have anything you wish to have cleaned out on your bed before you leave."

 _I am to live here now? What will I do with my father's home and workshop?_

"Breakfast is served for us at six in the morning in the servant's hall, followed by an early lunch at eleven. Dinner time changes from day to day, depending on what the Royal Family is doing that day." The old man spouted a few more items regarding the usual schedule and operation, but Link did not pay much attention. "And in that small chest is where you will find your new uniform." The man pointed a dainty finger at the small chest at the foot of the bed. "Your remaining belongings will be brought up from the barracks in time, but I am glad to see you wore your armor. You'll need it for tonight."

"Tonight?" Link asked, furrowing his eyebrows?

"Yes. You are to be at the Princess's side for her party tonight." The old man squinted his beady eyes, his white bushy eyebrows almost covered them entirely. "You are her Appointed Knight now, so you will stand guard nearby. The King will discuss your duties with you in greater detail later."

 _I guess it make sense. I just didn't think that would be a part of the job._ Link nodded.

"You're a quiet fellow, aren't you?" the man grunted. Link maintained his stoic expression. "Good. I never did like knights that talked to much." Link did not know if he should take the remark as an insult, or a compliment. "Besides, you're not needed for talking, just for security" The man drew in a deep breath. "Well." He exclaimed as he produced a small key from his coat pocket. "This is the key to your room. Only the maids, and I have a spare. I would suggest you lock up before you leave." The old man placed the key in his hand, then exited the room, and stood at the door. "Keep your armor on for now, but you may examine your new uniform. When you are satisfied, walk down this corridor, and climb the stairs. You should find yourself in the access hall near the Library. Do you know where that is?" Link nodded in confirmation. "Good. The King will be in the Library soon, so once you are done here, report to him." The man bowed as if to signal goodbye before grunting: "I almost forgot. While you are in your armor you will wear this, to signify your position." He removed a small medallion from his coat pocket, and pinned it where Link's cape hooked onto his armor over his collar bone. The medallion was a dark bronzed metal pin that was shaped in the likeness of the Royal Family's crest. It was a bird with outstretched wings, and a long sword clutched in its talons, with a small Triforce above it. The old man bowed again, before leaving down the hall.

Link stood still in his new room, craning his head around to examine the small bed, desk, and tall armoire. It was a simple room, with two glass windows on the far wall. The wood floor creaked beneath his feet, a small rug sat in the middle of the room. Link walked over to the chest at the foot of his bed and opened its heavy lid. Inside was a clean tan undershirt, and pants of a matching color. Next to those was a neatly folded light blue tunic, that had delicate white designs stitched near the corners, collar, and short sleeves. Two leather pauldrons rested on top, along with a pair of leather grieves and gloves that had similar patterns of the tunic carved into them. Underneath the tunic was a set of light chainmail, and a black wool cloak. _Looks like proper travel attire to me._ After examining his new uniform, he stood up and closed the chest. He locked his door as he left, looping the key onto the loose leather cord that hung around his neck. Before he stuffed it back under his shirt, he held the small stone carved lamb tied to necklace in his palm. _Little lamb,_ he said to himself. He wished he could hear his father's voice utter that nickname one last time. After a brief pause, he tucked the carving, and key back under his shirt, and struck forward in a fast walk.

Following the instructions given to him by the old servant, he traversed the narrow corridor, and climbed the staircase. When he exited the access hall above he found himself in familiar territory. He turned left, and walked until he found the entrance to the Library. Galen stood at the foot of the threshold. He gave a single congratulatory nod as Link passed, he had apparently already heard the news. Link timidly entered the expansive hall, his boots clapped loudly on the stone floor. He peered over the railing of the stairs, no one was in the quiet Library. His eyes scanned the endless rows of shelves. On the far-right side, a small winding stair case led up to an Observatory. The stone that made up the observation area was brighter and neater than the rest of the hall, as it had only been recently built. While most of Hyrule Castle was restored to its former ways after the fall of the Calamity, the King and Queen took the liberty of adding on additional rooms and walkways, the Observatory being one of them.

Link descended the stairs, intently observing the tall book shelves, reading the titles on the spines of the books. _I wonder how long it would take to read every one of these… Probably years._ He turned around, gazing at monumental collection. _A hundred years probably. Maybe more._

"Do you enjoy reading?" A deep voiced echoed in the open hall.

Link spun around and snapped to attention, bowing before his King. "I never had the pleasure of reading for fun, your grace."

"Ah. I see. Well, you are permitted to use this Library if you wish, when you have spare time to yourself." The King extended a hand out, gesturing for Link to follow alongside him.

"Thank you, your grace. But I am not worthy of such an honor."

The King laughed. "Come now, knowledge is a gift that should be given freely to those who desire it to."

Link grinned and nodded. "Of course, your grace. Thank you."

"Now!" the King boomed. "To business. I would like to first fill you in on the details of your position, and explain what is expected of you, as well as answer any questions you may have." The King took a deep breath before outlining his responsibilities. "First and foremost, you job will of course be to keep the Princess safe while she is on her travels across Hyrule. On another note, when she is within the walls of the castle, your presence will not be necessarily required, unless she either requests it, or if you feel there may be probable cause of concern for her safety. The only time you will be required to be on duty when she is within the safety of the castle is during special events such as parties, meetings, or banquets. However, whenever she is outside the castle, you are to remain at her side at all times, to watch over her. This includes trips to Castle Town, or surrounding areas, understood?"

"Yes, your grace."

"Good. Now speaking from personal experience, the task will not always be as simple as it sounds, but keep your head up and vigilant and you will do just fine, I'm sure of that. Do you have any questions?"

Link pondered for a moment. "Yes, your grace, although it is more a request than a question."

"Of course, request away!" The King smiled.

"Concerning the party tonight, could I have a word with both coordinator, and the officer in charge of security? I would like to gather information on _what_ will be happening _when_ , and where Royal Guards will be stationed, so that I may properly prepare for anything that could arise."

The King chuckled deeply. "Link. I think you will be quite a natural at this." He placed a strong hand on his shoulder. "Yes, of course. You can find Stein, the coordinator, and Lieutenant Arvin at the Inner Sanctum. Just present yourself to them, and they can help answer any question you have for them."

"Thank you, your grace. I have no further questions for you."

"Excellent. Then I will see you tonight."

"Yes, your grace." With a deep bow, Link left the Library. From there he climbed a number of stairs up to the Inner Sanctum, which served as the throne and ball room. Many servants were busy at work, preparing several rows of long tables with fine silverware and plates. Like the King said, he found a slender looking man, who was organizing the decorating. Stein was rather rude to him, impatiently answering his questions with sighs and scoffs, eventually forcefully pushing a paper agenda sheet to him, as if expelling him. 'Here, just read this. I'm too busy to answer your endless questions,' Stein said in a snobbish tone. Link bit his tongue, to stop from lashing back with a mean comment. _This paper should be enough I guess._ After searching around for a few minutes, he eventually found Lieutenant Arvin, and presented himself.

"You must be the Princess's Appointed Knight." Lieutenant Arvin was a middle-aged man, with black and white hair, and a wide jaw that tensed up when not speaking.

"Yes, Lieutenant."

The Lieutenant inspected Link intensely. "I heard you only just graduated this morning. Impressive to go from newly graduated Royal Guard, to the Princess's Appointed Knight in one day. You must be one hell of a fighter to earn such a respect."

Link only acknowledged the compliment with a confident nod. "I came to ask a few questions about the security detail tonight. Just want to know how the operation will look."

"Right." The Lieutenant led him through the stations and patrols of his men, explaining particular concerns, as well as relating to his agenda sheet, marking specific key changes to the operation as the night would progress. He introduced him to the separate squad leaders, Link committed their names and faces to memory. After a half hour of examination, Link felt comfortable with the operation, and thanked the Lieutenant for his time.

He exited the Inner Sanctum, gazing out on the golden sun that crept closer to the horizon, the mountains casting long shadows on the land. _It's almost time. I guess I should wait on the Princess…_ The thought sent a tingle down his spine, he had not seen her since that morning at the tournament. His chest grew hot, and his heartrate increased out of nervousness, and excitement. He of course tried to deny his excitement to himself. _I felt more at peace fighting in the tournament than I do now._ He shook his shoulders to end his fidgeting, and proceeded to the hallway that led to her bedroom. After a long walk, he was at the entrance of the corridor to her room. He had never seen that side of the door before, at the end of the long hallway. Two Royal Guards stood at the conjunction of the corridor that connected to the walkway to Zelda's room. With a nod to his comrades, Link walked to the end of the hallway, taking his post a few feet from the door, standing at an uneasy attention. The large glass windows that were opposite of him allowed yellow rays of light to spew onto the red carpet below, resulting a red-orange glow that bounced onto the walls behind him. He stood there for a few minutes, until the small wooden door opened. His heart stopped for a moment, but resumed when he realized it was just her handmaid.

She jumped, when she turned away from the shut door. "Oh! You startled me." She eyed him up and down. "Well aren't you a fair face to look at. You must be the Princess's Appointed Knight."

"Yes ma'am," he replied quietly with a polite grin.

"Well, I am going to go check and see if it is time for the party yet. She is in there reading in the meantime. I'll let you know when I return."

Link nodded, and watched the handmaid leave. The hall grew quiet again, and Link could hear his own loud heartbeat. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, anxiously waiting. He mentally prepared himself, running through what he would do, and say; or more accurately _not_ say. After what could have been fifteen minutes the rosy cheeked handmaid retuned with a short breath after scaling the extensive stair system of the castle.

"The guests are arriving as we speak. I will let the Princess know. I imagine it will only be another ten minutes." The little maid shuffled back into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Link tapped his foot, counting the seconds in batches of sixty. He was on his seventh set when the door swung open, the loud creak startled him. Zelda stepped forth, the personification of grace and beauty. She wore the same dress as earlier that day, but now donned long golden earrings, an elegant necklace, interlaced with ruby gemstones, and on her head, was a thin gold circlet that rested above her braid. As she continued through the doorway, the golden sun glistened and refracted off her jewelry, casting blotches of gold and red light to the ceiling and walls. She was fidgeting with the bracelets around her wrists, adjusting them until they were snug. She looked up at Link, jumping much like her handmaid did when she exited earlier.

"Oh! Forgive me, I just didn't expect you to be here already." She looked to her maid behind her, whispering: "Gretel, you should have told me." Gretel opened her mouth to apologize but Link cut her off.

"I apologize, my lady, I told her she need not worry you about it, I was content with waiting." Gretel shot a grateful glance at him, to which his dipped his head, then turned and bowed to the Princess. "My lady."

A bright smile beamed across Zelda's face as she examined him head to toe. "Your new armor suits you handsomely well, Link. And such a fine medallion you have pinned there." She pointed to the medallion on his collarbone.

His heartrate skyrocketed, much to his stoic dismay. "Thank you, my lady." He clamped his jaw, ravaging his mind to think of a way to word a complement to return without speaking outside of what would be considered appropriate for a knight. In as dutiful a tone has he could muster, without a hint of flirtation, he continued: "And you glow radiantly, as always." He questioned if the 'as always' was a bit much, but the compliment was shallow compared to what he truly wanted to say, so he was pleased with its simplicity and agreeableness.

"Thank you." She smiled again, taken up with his compliment, clasping her hands together in front of her. Link bowed slightly, gesturing down the hall, and with an energetic step, Zelda proceeded down the hall. Link closely followed her, remaining four steps back; far enough back to not get in the way or seem presumptuous, yet close enough to be within arm's reach in a split second should the need arise. She strode forth with confidence, once or twice glancing over her shoulder back at him, as if checking if he truly was there; his footsteps fell so silently she wondered if he was even following. Link bowed his head, in acknowledgement, but also wished to avoid her eye contact.

"I never had the chance to congratulate you on your graduation. Nor did I get to speak with you after winning the tournament." She stopped in her tracks, turning her head slightly. "I'm ever so glad that you did win." A charming smile reached her lips.

"Thank you, my lady."

Zelda waited to hear if there was more to his words, admittedly disappointed, but not surprised by his briefness. She walked forward again. "How is your shin? It looked like quite a painful kick you took."

"It is fine, my lady." _Still hurts like hell though._

"You know Link, you are free to elaborate more. We are going to be spending a lot of time together, would it be so bad for us to talk together more freely?" Her tone was kind, but her words stung a little.

 _I wish it wasn't so bad._ "It is not my place to say, my lady."

She sighed quietly. "I guess we'll work on it," she muttered under her breath.

 _Please don't make this harder than it needs to be._ He timidly adjusted the belt around his waist, pretending that he did not hear her quiet statement. His helmet was still tucked under his left arm. He considered putting it on, hoping to conceal his face, as if it were a physical manifestation of his desire to hide his emotions, but it was general protocol for knights to only wear their helmets when outside while on duty, or during special ceremonies.

As they walked through the more crowded corridors, all those who crossed their path dutifully bowed as their Princess passed. Link could feel their eyes turn from the Princess, to him, with a wide array of facial expressions, ranging from polite grins, to judgmental or skeptical squints. _I guess it makes sense if they are skeptical. I'm just some newly graduated knight, not a well know battle hardened veteran, taking on this heavy responsibility._ The other voice in his head retorted back, bringing up the fact that he beat every one of his opponents in the tournament. _That doesn't mean anything. There's a big difference between real combat experience, and winning a silly tournament. Then again, I don't think many of them have fought and killed a Lynel, much less seen one. But they wouldn't believe me even if I told them._ Memories of his showdown with the beast surged in his mind. His abdominal muscles cringed a little, remembering the sharp pain of its large claw, and how MiarindÍl healed him. _I wonder how she is doing, I would like to see her again._ He absent mindedly ran a finger over the long vertical scar that crossed his eyebrow.

"Everything alright?" Zelda asked, seeing him lost in thought, rubbing his scar.

Link quickly removed his hand. "Yes, my lady." _Stay focused._

When they finally arrived at the entrance of the Inner Sanctum, two guards pulled the gargantuan wood and metal doors open. Inside was an enormous host of guests, ranging from Hyrulean nobility, ambassadors from the other races, and number of Sheikah tribe members. The crowd turned and cheered loudly when the Princess entered. Link reluctantly followed her, trying his best to not show his discomfort, walking further back and to the side. His nerves were on edge. He marched forward, mashing his teeth, looking straight ahead. Despite his wish to remain invisible to the crowd, many of their eyes fell upon him, intently examining his every move. Zelda promptly arrived at the head table in front of the King and Queens thrones. The King and Queen stood, graciously welcoming their daughter with warm smiles and hugs. She took her place beside them, sitting in her chair, beaming with laughter. Two Royal Guards were already standing guard behind them, and so Link ascended the dais, and took his spot a few steps back and to the left of the Princess. The Queen peered over her shoulder, offering Link a gentle smile, examining his medallion. The King stood, addressing the large room of guests.

"Thank you all for coming here to celebrate my daughter's special day. It is because of the cooperation, and generosity that has been extended across all the tribes of this land that we can all come here together today, as a testament of friendship." The King raised a small glass. "I would like to toast to both our alliances, as well as to my beautiful daughter. May she inherit a kingdom worthy of her grace and good heart." The crowd rose, lifting their glasses high, and cheered. "Now, without further ado, please enjoy dinner." From the corners of the room, several servants appeared, bearing trays of steaming food. Link could smell the soft aroma that filled the room, realizing how hungry he was.

 _I haven't eaten since this morning. It never even crossed my mind._ He tried to force his hunger out, but seeing a plate of delicious sweet cakes on the table made his stomach grumble. He snapped out of it a spent his effort on refocusing on scanning the crowd and room for any hint of potential danger. When the servers placed the food down on the Royal Family's table, the two Royal Guards that stood nearby stepped forward in unison, placing hands on the King and Queen's chairs, to help push them into the table as they sat. Without thinking, Link followed their movement, helping the Princess pull her chair to the table. She glanced over her shoulder and offered a sweet 'Thank you.' He grinned politely and dipped his head, before returning to his spot. A loud murmur of voices echoed in the Sanctum as the guests ate, drank, and cheerfully spoke. Link saw Lieutenant Arvin pass by a few times in the back, contacting the various guards stationed in the room, gathering reports. Dinner remained uneventful, and soon the servants poured back in to collect empty plates and to refill glasses. As the night went on, many of the lords and ladies presented themselves to the Royal Family, offering them well wishes and birthday congratulations.

A vibrantly colored Rito also presented himself, carrying a large accordion. The King stood and heartily greeted the Rito with a friendly laugh. "Kass, my old friend. I am glad to see you here! And I see you brought you accordion, do you plan on singing for us?"

"I do your grace! I have crafted a song for your beautiful daughter, who I know see is a mirror image of her mother!" The Rito bowed spiritedly, before beginning a jaunty tune, singing the praises of beauty and kindness of the Princess in a rhythmic poem. Link rushed forward to pull her chair back when she shot up, applauding, and thanking Kass for the wonderful song.

"Oh please don't stop, Kass. I could dance to my heart's content to your music." Link observed her animated movement in awe, finding it impossible to peel his gaze away. She took her father's hand and pulled him down the steps of the dais, laughing as she did. With a stretch of his feathers, the tall Rito began another waltz-like tune, singing and playing his accordion. The King and his daughter danced in the clearing between the guest's tables and the Royal Family's table. Zelda laughed and smiled as they gentle waltzed, her long hair gentle flowing behind her. Link watched her every step, taking in ever beautiful detail of her expressions. Goddess, _she looks – so happy; graceful._ The aura she gave out was intoxicating, and Link fought with all his might to steal his eyes away. He looked down to his helmet under his arm again. _How I wish I could wear this right now._ He centered his effort back on scanning the crowd and area. The guest's all stared with bright smiles, whispering to each other. Some couples stood and joined in the impromptu dance. Soon the Sanctum was filled with laughter and dancing, the servants pulled the center tables further out, allowing room for the guests to dance.

Link caught glimpse of a single young lord with a fair face approaching the King and his daughter. He kept a close eye on him, just to ensure he meant no ill will. Link shifted his weight on his feet, turning ever so slightly. The fair lord presently bowed to the King, speaking a few words to him with a charming smile, Link could not hear them, nor could he read their lips. The King nodded and smiled, before releasing his daughter and offered her hand to the young lord. The King returned to the base of the dais, gesturing to his wife for her to join him. The Princess and the lord began to waltz, speaking to one another. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zelda laughed heartily, with a grin on her lips, as the young lord spun her around. Link heart beat heavy with jealousy, and his ears grew hot. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked away, scolding himself bitterly. _Stop it! You idiot. You should be happy for her. There is no merit to these foolish fantasies._ He bit the inside of his cheek, reveling in the pain. His spirit sank to his feet as he watched her twirl around on the dancefloor, laughing and smiling with the mysterious lord. Link chided himself repeatedly, shattering every notion of pain and envy as they appeared. He caught glimpse of a small pendant that hung around the lord's neck, it bore what looked to be a similar crest to the Royal Family's crest, although it was much more angular, and featured a lone tower behind it. _He must be the new lord of the Akkala Citadel. I've seen that crest before. Jonathan's uniform bore a similar symbol._ Link recalled receiving a letter from Jonathan many weeks prior explaining that big changes were happening at the Citadel with the passing of its elderly overseer, Lord Ivan. _That must be his son, Lord Aron. I wonder what he's like… he must be very funny with how much she is laughing…_ His heart throbbed miserably. _He would certainly be a worthy suitor. I would be glad to see the Princess join with a highborn individual._ At his core, he knew it was a most audacious lie, but he tried to convince himself it was how he truthfully felt. He ran his thumb over the rim of his helmet, desiring its concealment. When the Rito Bard had finally exhausted his music, he bowed to the crowd, accepting their kind applause. Lord Aron bowed to the Princess, lightly grasping onto her hand. She curtsied in return, and then left and took her seat again at the table. Link shied his eyes away as he pushed her chair in.

The remainder of the night was uneventful, as the call of sleep fell upon the guests. The Royal Family walked out from the exit of the Inner Sanctum, into the open air to thank the guests as they left. Most of them were to stay in the guest apartments of the castle, so that they could rest, then leave in the morning, and others set out to return home immediately. Link stood nearby, grateful that he could finally wear his helmet, now that they were outdoors. The closeness of the helmet was a great comfort to him. The guests filed out in small groups, thanking bowing to the Royal Family before retiring for the night. Link peered through the small openings of his helmet, feeling his warm breath against the metal faceplate. His hand rested lightly on the pommel of his sword, standing still as stone, ignoring the long glances of the guests. _I'm glad they can't see my face._ After some time, it appeared that all the guests had left the Sanctum, until one last voice spoke its last goodbyes.

"Thank you again, my King and Queen, for the wonderful party. It was a beautiful arrangement, however, I'm afraid it was outshone by the beauty of your daughter." It was Lord Aron. His voice was soft and deep, flowing articulately. Link remained still, staring out of his peripheral.

"Your words are to kind, Lord Aron," Zelda replied.

"Would you care to walk with me a little further, Princess?" The King and Queen glanced at each other, then to Link. Link tilted his head slightly, gesturing that he would follow close behind their daughter. With her parent's approval, she and Lord Aron walked a little further together. Link silently trailed behind, heart pounding with every step. "I hope you had a wonderful time, my lady, I know I certainly did."

Zelda grinned. "I did, my lord. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed yourself as well. Will you be staying with us tonight?"

"I will be, my lady. The Citadel is a long ride from here, so I will leave in the morning." Lord Aron clasped his hands behind his back as he walked.

"How goes the running of the Citadel? We were all saddened to hear of you fathers passing. He was a good man."

"Yes, he was. Although he passed peacefully, without pain." Lord Aron drew in a breath before answering her question. "But the running of the Citadel is going well. We are continuing to upgrade its defenses, and extending our reach on the Akkala region. We are still recruiting and training new men every day to fill the needs of the fortress, but the men we have are valiant and skilled."

"That is good to hear. Link has a close friend who is a soldier at the Citadel." Link was shocked that she would mention him. The last time he spoke to her in detail about Jonathan was a few years ago during one of their secret meetings, he was surprised she remembered.

"Who?" Lord Aron asked in a confused tone.

"Link. My Appointed Knight." She turned slightly and gestured towards him. "His best friend has been stationed at the Citadel for years." Link shied his eyes away, but they could not tell due to his helmet. He grew more nervous under their gaze.

"I honestly did not even notice he was back there. Quite light on your feet huh?" Lord Aron asked condescendingly. Link only nodded curtly. Lord Aron chuckled, "You don't speak much either it seems." Link remained silent, ignoring his jestful tone.

To Link's surprise, Zelda chimed in, defending him. "He has always been rather quiet, but he has a heart of gold, when he chooses to share it." Zelda grinned sweetly at him. He was touched by her sentiment, admittedly pleased with Lord Aron's furrowed expression, but quickly shunned his petty feelings.

Lord Aron scoffed. "I heard that you were just promoted to your position of Appointed Knight this morning after winning the tournament. You must be an impressive swordsman to achieve such a feat just after graduating."

Zelda cut in, saying: "You should have seen him. The way he so easily defeated his opponents!" Link's heartrate continued to rise, torn between loving her insistent bragging on him, and wanting to deny it at every turn.

"Is that so. I should like to see your skill first hand, Link. Would you do me the honor and spar with me in the morning? I'm always looking for people to test my skills on, and I'm curious if you can live up to the rumors. Only if you have time of course." Lord Aron sounded cocky, but Link did not know if it was intentional.

 _Well. Shit. Why did you have to bring this up, Princess?_ "As you wish, my lord." Link bowed his head slightly.

"Oh my, so the stoic knight does have a voice! I look forward to our session. Meet me in the courtyard at six, we may duel before I leave for the Citadel." Lord Aron turned his head back around pompously, before continuing his conversation with Zelda. "Well, my lady, it was a pleasure dancing with you. Will you see me off tomorrow morning?" He stopped to face her.

There was a long pause in her response, but Link could not decipher its meaning. "Of course, Lord Aron."

"Then I bid you a goodnight, my lady." He kissed her hand lightly, then left down the stone stairs. Link could feel his head getting hot again, despite his self-reprimanding. He once again took solace in the fact that he was wearing his helmet, as he was certain his face was bright red. Zelda turned around and gazed at Link, as if trying to see past his visor.

"Must you wear your helmet? It covers your expressive face."

"It is proper protocol, my lady."

Zelda sighed lightly. "I suppose." She peered off into the distance, examining the large ancient Sheikah spires that reached out to the castle, and beyond those, to the twinkling stars in the heavens. Her green eyes shone under the moonlight. The fond memories of their childhood together came back to him in full force. She stood before him, as beautiful and as kind as he remembered, perhaps even more so now. He remembered the way he felt when she rested her head on his shoulder, and he could feel her soft hair on his cheek. He remembered the way she laced her fingers with his, the way her thumb stroked his hand. Link turned to face the same direction that she faced, gazing up at the stars. He opened and closed his mouth several times, about to begin saying something, but then would quickly shut it down. They stood in silence for a while longer until the words finally fell from his lips, muffled by his visor.

"I still to this day wonder if those fireflies will ever come down, if they will ever get un-stuck." In his peripheral, he saw her turn her head up to him, staring at him with wide, glistening eyes, and an open mouth. She gawked in awe, as if trying to determine if she truly heard what he said.

"Let's hope they don't. Otherwise we could never navigate by them to find our way home." Her voice was quiet and quivered. She did not remove her penetrating stare, she instead held her emerald eyes to the small slits in his visor, trying to see he eyes behind the mask.

He finally built up the courage to look down at her, saying: "Lead the way, my lady." With a small nod, she began to walk back to her bedroom, trying to hide a large smile. He followed three steps back, watching her gracefully glide forward. Once they were back inside, Link removed his helmet, pulling back loose hairs that fell in his eyes. It was not until after he had finished that he realized she was peeking at him over her shoulder. _What does that mean?_ He escorted her back to her bedroom, bowing and saying goodnight as she entered her room.

"My lady," he said softly. Zelda paused in the doorway, politely awaiting his words. "Happy birthday."

She grinned ear to ear. "Thank you, _Link._ "

Link excused himself, briskly returning to his room. When he entered he closed the door behind him and plopped down on his bed. His empty stomach growled as he removed his armor, storing it away in his armoire. He returned to his bed, which creaked and squeaked as he adjusted himself, pulling the covers over his head. His mind replayed all the events of the day, as he critiqued and criticized his performance. _Looks like I'm fighting Lord Aron tomorrow._ In his mind, he pictured himself making a mockery of the little lord in a fight, but quickly shunned the idea. _I shouldn't even be mad at him, who wouldn't want to be with her like that? Who am I to judge? Such things are above me. I should stick to what I do best, stick to being a knight. No more, no less._ With a grunt and turn he made himself comfortable, and dozed off to sleep. His usual nightmares came in full force that night, but he had grown so used to them that they no longer concerned him. He could still not understand the frail voice that called out to him. ' _Master,'_ being all he could comprehend.


	13. New Duties

_**Authors Note:**_ Hello friends! I apologize for the long wait, school is picking up again, so that is slowing down my writing process quite a bit. While I won't be able to post as often, I will still try to maintain a steady schedule. I hope you enjoy this chapter, as things begin to get into a full swing.

Best wishes,

 **-Written In Bold**

 _Chapter thirteen, New Duties_

Link awoke long before the sun had risen, as it was his normal routine made into stubborn habit during his training. His stomach growled in protest, as if angry that he had not fed it since the morning before. _It will be a long time until breakfast is ready, and by then I will have to be meeting Lord Aron. Maybe I can ask for at least a scrap of food from the kitchen._ He kicked his legs out of bed, and drowsily stood up, yawning, and stretching, thinking about what he was to wear. _I guess I'll try on my uniform. I don't even know if it fits._ He brought himself to the foot of his bed, opening the large wooden chest there. He grabbed everything except the wool cloak. He tried the pants and undershirt on, luckily, they both fit well. After that he dropped the light chainmail down over his head, and stuck his arms through the small holes. To his surprise it was actually quite comfortable, and did not bunch up when he moved his arms around. _So far so good._ He then threw the light blue tunic over his head, pulling it down over chest. _Well would you look at that. It's like they tailor fitted it for me. But how did they know what size to make it?_ Link tried to think of a logical answer, the only one being that they had already anticipated that he would win, and created the tunic ahead of time. He brushed the thought aside, exclaiming how silly it sounded to him. He examined the leather pauldrons, holding them up by the leather cross straps that would go across his chest and back. He decided that they would not be necessary to wear that day, since he was not going far from the castle, so he threw them back in the wooden chest. He did however still pull the fingerless gloves over his hands, and buckled the grieves onto his forearms. _Now these, I will need for sparring._ He took time to shine his boots, removing any dirt that had built up, then pulled them over his feet. He stood up, buckled his belt, and tied his sword to his hip. He checked himself in the small mirror that hung on his armoire, to ensure his uniform was up to snuff, and tied his hair back. _Everything looks squared away._ _Now the important part. Finding food._

After he tidied up, and fixed his bed, he locked his door to his room, and proceeded down to the servant's hall, in his quest for something to eat. Very few servants were awake by then, but those who were looked surprised to see Link up and dressed so early. After explaining to a member of the kitchen staff that he would not be present for breakfast that morning due to his scheduled sparring session, the stout woman brought him a small apple, and a large chunk of bread, apologizing that it was all she had laying around. He thanked her for the food, just happy that he could finally eat something, even if it was a meager meal. He sat down at the empty table in the servant's hall, chewing his apple, blankly staring at the wall, lost in thought. He recalled his dreams from the night before, as it had been a while since he had his last raid of nightmares, remarking that this time the terror filled dream was significantly more intense and visceral than usual. He mulled it over in his mind, recounting the faceless figures, cloaked in black. Something changed this time, however. He now knew why his chest always burned in pain during the dream. One of the apparitions drove its long-jagged blades right through his chest, giving it a taut twist. It left no wound, but it felt as if the weapon was pulling his very soul from his body. It was also apparent now that the specter that drove his blade in, was the leader of the group, bearing ceremonious jewelry that look more like blackened armor than anything else. All of it was so surreal, yet there were parts that he could not recall, like there were missing pieces in the story. There was always the muffled voice calling out to him, but he could never find its source, nor could he decode its message, except for one word: ' _Master.'_ At first, he thought that the bright light that shone behind him was the source, but despite his best efforts he could not look back to confirm. However, he had a strange assuredness that the light was not the bearer of the voice, the voice emanated from somewhere else, somewhere within. He could not make sense of it all, and so like always, he pressed it from his mind and ignored it.

When he finished his small meal, he left the now busy servants hall and walked to the castle courtyard, stopping by the Royal Armory to retrieve two practice swords first. The Armorer was an intense individual, with dark eyes and a haggard nose, but was polite enough to allow Link to borrow the swords. He sauntered around his storage room drowsily, as he had woken up not long before that, and brought two battered practice swords to Link. Link thanked him again, and left with long strides.

He waited in the courtyard for nearly half an hour until Lord Aron self-importantly strolled in, greeting Link.

"My lord," Link said has he bowed.

"My my. You are much younger than I thought. But I suppose there was no way of me knowing since you had your face locked up in that ridiculous helmet last night." Lord Aron wore a fine doublet, and bore a thin longsword on his hip. He stretched a little before continuing: "I suppose we will have to find sparring swords before we begin, unless you fancy feeling the sting of my blade."

Link said nothing, but grabbed the two practice swords that knelt against the wall, along with his real sword, sheathed and neatly tucked away. He presented the handle of the practice sword to Lord Aron, to which he wrapped his thin fingers around daintily, and drew it in. He felt the balance in his hand, twirling it about boastfully, as if showing off his swordsmanship. "This will do just fine, I suppose." He removed his sword from his hip and leaned it against the wall, before standing a few feet from Link. "Shall we begin, my silent friend?" Link nodded, and took his fighting stance. Lord Aron arrogantly strolled side to side, with his sword as his waist. He was waiting for Link to strike first. Link awkwardly spun his sword in his hand, then lashed out in a quick jab. Lord Aron parried it to the side before unleashing a slew of fast slashes. He was much faster than he expected, but Link easily blocked each strike, taking a few paces back, creating distance between them. Lord Aron closed the gap, spinning on his heel in a showy flash of steel, thrashing around wildly. Again, Link held his ground, blocking, or glancing his attacks to the side. Lord Aron grinned before saying haughtily: "I thought that you would be more aggressive, than this. Come along." He held his hand out, gesturing with his fingers for Link to attack. Link shrugged his shoulders, then advanced on the little lord. Lord Aron was hard pressed to block his powerful strikes, but held his own, before disengaging to spout another sentence. "Very good. Although, not quite what I expected from the supposedly well versed Appointed Knight." They exchanged several bouts of attacks, never really getting anywhere. To Links advantage, however, Lord Aron seemed to be growing tired, since he put much more effort than was necessary into embellishing his swordplay. Before long, the lord returned to a simpler fighting style, sticking to the fundamental aspects of dueling, in turn wining him the round, which only bolstered his arrogant nature. During the small breaks between bouts, he would have some smart or witty comment, usually intended to be a jesting insult, although he would occasionally offer sincere compliments.

 _What is this guy's deal? Why does he waste his breath insulting me, then turn it around with a quick compliment?_ Linkstretched his arm out, gripping the handle of his sword a little harder before soundly blocking another wave of attacks, and landing a successful jab.

"Better. But is this all you've got, Link?" the young lord grinned. "Maybe it was more luck than skill that got you here." Lord Aron laughed as if it was a joke, but Link knew he meant it. Just as he was about to engage in another advance of attacks, a deep voice echoed in the courtyard.

"Did no one ever teach you _not_ to toy with your opponents?" Link snapped to attention, before bowing deeply. Lord Aron offered an eccentric bow as well, greeting the King.

"I did not expect you to be out and about so early, your grace, but I am pleased by your presence," Lord Aron said with a large smile.

"Ah. I am usually out this early anyways, Lord Aron. It gives me time to think in the cool of the morning without being disturbed." The King paused for a moment before addressing the duelists. "Please continue, I did not mean to interrupt."

"Of course, my King." Lord Aron readied himself again, with his sword raised high, undoubtedly excited to beat Link in front of the King. Link took his stance again, adjusting his grip on his sword.

"Link," grunted the King, with a mischievous smirk, giving a small knowing nod. Link could not help but grin a little, before switching the sword over into his left hand, confidently spinning it around in his palm, finally feeling the strength and agility in his arm that he had built over years of training. The King continued: "I thought that you of all people would know when a man is holding back, Lord Aron – Link isn't even right handed."

Despite his best efforts, Link could not hold back his toothy smile, reveling in Lord Aron's muddled expression when he realized Link had been fighting with his off-hand the whole time. With a small bow, they began their fight again, this time ending faster than it started, with Lord Aron tripping backwards, the air knocked out of his lungs, and loosing hold of his practice sword, in an embarrassingly sprawled manner. Link stood over him, with the point of his sword at Lord Aron's throat, before nodding curtly, saying: "My lord." _What? No witty comment? Cat got your tongue?_ Link extended his hand out, offering to pull Lord Aron up from the hard pavement, which Lord Aron reluctantly accepted, rubbing his hurt back.

The King laughed loudly before approaching the prideful lord, slapping him on the back. "Don't take it too hard, Lord Aron. Link once beat me in a fight too. I can't say that my pride was not also hurt by it." He laughed again, leading Lord Aron out of the courtyard. "Come now, breakfast will be served in about an hour, you will want to clean up a bit."

Before the King and Lord Aron left, Link called out. "My lord!" He paced over to them, carrying Lord Aron's sword, giving it to him with a small nod.

"Thank you." he said with a humbled voice. "It was a pleasure."

"You're welcome, my lord." Link's tone was free of spite, glad that he could humble the fair lord.

"Oh Link. I almost forgot. The Princess plans to travel to Market Square after lunch. I imagine she just wants to get out of the castle for a bit. You may meet her in the stables at one, understood?"

"Yes, your grace." Link bowed, and watched as the two left. _Well. I can't deny that I enjoyed that. Perhaps a little too much. I really shouldn't have toyed with him… But then again, he kinda asked for it._

* * *

"I heard that you and Lord Aron got along quite well last night." Gretel was hard at work brushing Zelda's hair back.

"Words fly fast among the servants, don't they?" She said with a small grin.

"Well what else would we have to talk about, my lady. The excitement of a lord and lady waltzing about the room is certainly something to catch the eye of all the maids. Especially with such a fine paring."

Zelda amusedly scoffed at her remark. "Come now Gretel, surely you don't believe these little fantasies and rumors spread around by the young maids?"

"It's not just the maids. Some of the footmen, and guards talk about it, how could they not?"

She gasped with an open smile. "Then you should tell them to disregard such silly ideas."

Gretel chuckled lightly, humming as she brushed away. "Are they so silly, my lady? Lord Aron is regarded as a fine man, as well as a strong leader. I hear he is quite the charmer too."

"And pompous, and admittedly egotistical." Zelda added.

"There are much worse things for men to be guilty of. Self-centeredness being easily cured, if persuaded by a gentle woman."

Zelda laughed. "Gentle? I think I would end up hitting him on the head with a frying pan. I have little patience for arrogant people, regardless how charming or funny they may be."

"That would certainly not be very lady-like, my lady!" Gretel chortled. She finished her work, then loosely braided her hair. "All done, my lady."

"Thank you, Gretel, that is all."

"Of course, my lady. Breakfast should be ready in a few minutes, I'll return to let you know. I believe your father has invited many of the guests that stayed overnight to dine with the family before they leave, Lord Aron being among them."

Zelda nodded graciously as her handmaid left through the small wooden door. _Lord Aron._ She scoffed at the thought. _I barely can get Link to talk, and yet I couldn't get Lord Aron to shut his mouth last night. I can see right past his flattery and pleasantries. I wonder what Link thinks of him… I doubt he would ever tell me, but maybe I can pry it out of him, given I had enough sweet cakes for bribery._ She chuckled to herself, musing over his endearing love of the baked treat. She recalled his words the night before, about the fireflies. Even though his face was covered, she could hear the familiar voice she once grew accustom to; the comedic cadence of his speech, the boyish optimism. _Somewhere, trapped under that armor, is the boy I once knew. How sad it is to see him take comfort in hiding himself under that helmet, as if he is ashamed of his own face._ She opened a small nightstand draw, and pulled out her small leather-bound diary. She dipped her feather quill in ink and began to scribe a small entry.

 _Making slight progress. For the first time, he openly recalled a conversation we once had about the stars. I can only assume he had the confidence to do so since he felt safe, concealed under his visor. It's a small start, but I will gladly take it. Hearing him speak his mind like that, despite his briefness, is a welcome change to the regular humdrum of 'yes my lady,' 'no my lady'._

 _P.S. I had better ask the baker for more sweet cakes._

Satisfied with her entry, she closed the diary and placed it back in the nightstand draw. Shortly after, Gretel returned, telling her it was time for breakfast. By the time she arrived in the dining hall, a large group of guests were taking their seats. They warmly greeted the Princess, presently sitting down. She sat next to her father and mother, who were at the head of the table. Across from her sat Lord Aron, who shot meaningful glances at her as they ate and spoke. She was glad that it was her mother that occupied most of the fair lord's attention, asking detailed questions about how the Citadel was coming along. Whenever he would give an unsatisfactory or vague answer, she would reiterate, ironing out every element of his management of the Akkala Citadel. _Leave it to mother drill someone till the whole truth comes out._ It was a lesson she learned the hard way. Her father seemed bored with lackluster conversation of trade routes, diplomatic relations with the surrounding settlements, and other key aspects of managing a large estate.

"What do you plan to do in Market Square today?" the King asked, removing himself from the Queen's conversation.

"Nothing in particular. I heard that a band of Gerudo traders came into town, and so I wanted to see if they were selling anything of interest. I figured Link would like to get out and about as well." Out of her peripheral she saw Lord Aron glance at her when she mentioned Link.

Her father smiled playfully. "How very thoughtful of you."

"Well, I would hate to be cooped up in the castle with nothing to do."

The King grinned. "So would I."

As breakfast came to a close, the Royal Family said their final goodbyes, as their remaining guests left to return to their homes scattered about the kingdom. Lord Aron of course waiting till everyone else filtered through before he approached.

"Again, I thank you, your graces. Your hospitality knows no bounds." He bowed dutifully.

The Queen replied in a kind voice. "You are welcome, Lord Aron. I look forward to hearing your continuing progress at the Citadel."

He presently turned to the Princess, bowing again, summoning a charming smile. "I hope to see you visit the Citadel on your travels, my lady. Our gates will always be open."

"Thank you, Lord Aron, I'm sure we will." _We, Link, and me._ With a turn of the heel the fair lord left, striding forward confidently.

With a satisfied sigh, the Queen turned to her daughter. "Well. Are you ready for your morning training?"

"Yes mother," Zelda replied with a beaming smile.

It was the same drill they had practiced for over a week, trying to stop an incoming arrow with her barrier. It was the first major roadblock they hit in her training. Her mother would stand at the far side of the room, and gracefully pull back a long arrow on a thin white bow, and fire at a small target opposite of her, and Zelda would attempt to stop it in its tracks. Despite her best effort, Zelda found it nearly impossible to catch the arrow at the right time, as her mother would fire sporadically and randomly.

"Try to not let go of the power, keep it sustained in your palm, so that you may deploy it quicker."

She followed her advice, and focused on maintaining a steady stream of energy down her arm, but deploying a shield fast enough to stop a moving target was no simple task. The more she failed, the more anxious she became, causing her to fail even more. It was a vicious cycle.

"Don't let past failures slow you down, control your breathing and think about exactly what you want to do."

After several attempts, she managed to catch a few arrows, which helped her anxiousness a small amount. They continued to practice for over a half hour before she allowed her daughter a quick break.

"Mother," she began. "What did sealing _him_ away feel like? We've practiced creating barriers, firing bolts of energy, manipulating objects, among other things, but I have yet to understand what the _sealing_ power feels like."

Her mother sighed thoughtfully. "It's rather hard to explain. It has been so long since I have had the ability to summon such power. The ability is so closely associated with how you feel about the enemy you face." She began to slowly pace in a large circle, intently searching her mind. "I remember battling that _beast_ for a century, only being strong enough to hold it at bay until your father awoke. It wasn't until the final moments, when _It_ was weakened that I could focus my efforts on sealing It away. After all the pain and suffering it caused me, my hatred festered within me. I could feel the beasts very spirit in my grasp, and all I wanted to do was crush it in my hands. At every turn It fought back, gaining strength under pressure. It was then that it I finally realized that I would never win _It's_ game; hatred, malice, contempt, these were its playthings. But Ganon did not possess the capacity for love. He was never willing to sacrifice himself for someone else, and so I refocused my efforts on thinking about how I could save all that I loved. Your father. My kingdom, my home. The love that first awoke the power within me, was also the same love that allowed me to let go of my hatred, and instead banish the beast that haunted me, opening the void from beyond to draw him in, and close the gates." She peered into her daughter's eyes. "It is a feeling I fear only comes with great loss, a feeling that words cannot describe."

Zelda was lost for words. There was such conviction in her mother's voice, such strength. _How could I hope to achieve that, if I can't even muster the strength or skill to stop a stupid arrow?_ Zelda furrowed her eyebrows, and stared at her feet. _Will I too have to suffer great loss just to grasp the concept?_ The thought brought great fear to her. She thought about how she could lose her family, her friends, her love, should she fail.

"Have faith, Zelda. You will learn with time, and praying at the holy springs will help enlighten you more." Her mother offered a hopeful smile.

"Thank you… On that topic, what will I do about the Spring of Courage. Father said that it is far too dangerous to travel in the Faron Region, despite my incessant asking. He has forbidden it." _I wonder if Link found the spring during his trial._

"I can't say for sure. Perhaps Link could shed light on the matter. He did survive a month in that cursed forest, after all."

"I can try again," she said in a disheartened tone. "But last time I asked, he would not budge." Zelda paused briefly, trying find her words. "I don't know what to do about him. Every time I try to connect with him he pushes himself further away." _Last night being the first exception. But even that was short lived._ "I can't help but feel like I'm failing him."

"How are you asking him?" Her mother titled her head slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Does he have trouble answering direct questions?"

Zelda shot a confused expression at her mother. "It depends."

"Depends on what?"

"I don't really know. Sometimes he has no issue answering questions, as long as it has a non-personal answer, but other times he either refuses to answer, or makes excuses."

"A non-personal answer." The Queen restated her daughter's words like it was the key to the riddle, preparing to explain her reasoning. "Link is determined to remain loyal to what he believes is the correct behavior and speech of a knight. When you ask him questions that require a personable answer, you are asking him to abandon his notion of 'proper behavior' in order to answer truthfully. I believe it is in these instances that he would rather not answer, or come up with excuses, so that he could avoid lying all together." Zelda only nodded, beginning to piece the argument together. "If you were, however, to word your questions in a way that would allow him to answer with a 'non-personable' response, I think that you would have much more success in getting information out of him."

"Then how would you suggest I ask him about his time in the Faron Region?"

"Start simple. Ask him for details on whether or not he saw the Spring of Courage. Try to ask him like a leader would ask for a report from their subordinate, not like a friend asking for small talk. If you make him understand that the information he has is very important to your training, I believe he will tell you what you need to know."

"So, I'm supposed to boss him around? Demand reports from him, like he's a nothing more than a machine!?" She scoffed at the idea.

"For now, yes. First and foremost, you are his superior, and he is your subject. You have to ease him into it, help him understand that it's okay to speak, and share information. Help him see that it is in fact his responsibility to do so."

Zelda pondered her mother's words in the quiet. _I don't like it, but maybe she's right. No matter what, we still have responsibilities to fill._ "I guess you're right," she sighed.

"Good. Now shall we continue?"

Zelda nodded, and stretched her shoulders, summoning the warm power in her hands. They continued to practice stopping arrows, but it remained mostly unsuccessful. Her mother assured her that it would come with time. By the time they finished, it was drawing near the time for lunch. Her mother released her, so that she could have a little time to herself before their meal. _I should go return my books to the library before we eat._

After collecting the pile of books from her room, she walked down to the library, her arms grew tired under the weight of the heavy stack. She politely refused anyone servant or guard who asked if she needed help carrying them, not wanting to take them away from their duties. She descended the large stair case to the lower level of the library, giving the large stack to one of the librarians, so that they could return them to the right shelf. As usual, it was very quiet in the expansive hall, her footsteps being the only noise that reverberated off the walls. She clambered back up the stairs when she heard a slight clap of a heavy book closing, somewhere from the second floor. She craned her head around to determine where it came from. She climbed the stairs further, stepping up onto the second story walkway. _What are you doing here?_ She saw Link leaning against one of the book cases, legs crossed, with his face intently buried in a large leather book. He wore his new uniform, which she thought he looked quite fetching in, the light blue of his tunic made his eyes glow more vibrantly. His sword and scabbard was unbuckled, and leaned against the railing in front of him. Scattered about him was a slew of other open books and manuscripts. He was so locked into his reading that he did not even turn to see she was approaching. He turned the page with childlike wonder, furrowing his eyebrows as he scanned the faded text, until he realized that someone stood close to him. He looked up with a polite smile, which instantly turned to a shocked gawk once he realized who it was.

He shot up, snapping the book closed. "Forgive me, my lady, I thought that you were training." He bowed, in a manner that made her believe he was nervous.

"I was. I came here to return some books. What are you doing here?"

"I was reading – forgive me, I will clean up right away." He turned and bent over to scoop up the plethora of books.

"No no no," she held her hands out, smiling kindly. "Please! Feel free to read here anytime you wish, there is no sin in it." She watched as he paused, and stood back up. "Although I must say, reading at a table is much more comfortable, and organized." She motioned towards the mess of books on the ground.

"Of course, my lady. I just did not want to impose on anyone's space." He motioned over the railing to the ground below, which held at least thirty yards of desolate wooden tables running down the center.

She almost laughed at his preposterous notion. _Oh you foolish boy, you could lay flat on one of those tables, and still not even come close to being in someone's way._ "I assure you, there is plenty of room." She shot a jestful grin, which only seemed to disgruntle him even more. "What are you reading exactly?"

"History books, my lady."

"On what?"

"The Faronish people, my lady."

 _What are the coincidences of that?_ "Really? On that topic, I actually wanted to ask you a few questions about your stay in the Faron Region." Link remained silent, neither nodding or shaking his head. "I was hoping if you could tell me whether or not if you saw the Spring of Courage during your trial? It is important to my training." _Let's see if this works._

"I did not, my lady. Although I did see the great dragon sculpture that marks the entrance."

"But was it in easy access?" Like her mother instructed, she kept her questions simple, and non-personal.

"It is now, my lady."

 _What does he mean by 'it is now?'_ She hummed thoughtfully. _What else can I ask him._ "Did you find anything else of note?"

"Well, I did meet a magical tree-lady, my lady." The corner of his mouth curled up in a small grin.

 _A joke!? You were right mother, I just didn't think he would open up this quick!_ She laughed audibly, to which he only responded with a perplexed expression. _Better not push my luck, time to move on._ "Do you have any ideas on how we could safely make it to the spring? I know it's a long shot to try to convince my father to allow me to enter Faron Woods, but perhaps if you could offer a plan, or a solution to him, he would consider it."

"It is safe enough now to walk in, my lady."

"What do you mean?"

"There are no more monsters there. They're either dead or have fled the region."

At first, she considered that it may be another joke, but there was no lie in his voice, and it seemed unlikely that he would crack another joke response. "Are you certain? Those woods have been infested with the beasts for nearly thirty years. How could they have died?"

This was the first time that he that he hesitated to answer. She restated that any information would help her training, hoping to coerce his sense of duty to speak. After a long pause, he finally answered: "I killed them. Not many of them remained in the forest after the Lynel died, my lady."

"A Lynel!? Did you kill it too?" She anxiously awaited his response. _How could he have? He had no weapons. Father spoke of slaying those foul beasts, and even he remarked how difficult it was, even being fully armored and wielding the Master Sword._ All she knew about those lumbering creatures was what her father told her, after showing various scars caused by them, and what she read from her books, they were not some beast that could simply be whisked away with tree branches or rocks.

"It is dead. That is all that matters, my lady."

"You know how ridiculous this sounds right? Link?" Her tone sounded a bit harsher than she intended, but his answers just seemed too fanciful to be real. After seeing his hurt expression, she felt bad for doubting him. "I apologize, I did not mean to doubt your honesty. It's just that it will be hard to convince my father that the forest that housed an army of monsters that murdered nearly one-hundred of his men is now empty of monsters and is safe enough to send his daughter into." _Maybe – maybe he will believe Link, since he is to be the next Chosen One…_ Link did not have a response, he only despondently peered away. She changed her tone, and forced a smile. "I trust you, Link. I will talk to my father about it. Maybe he will have a change of heart." Link returned his eyesight to her and nodded. "Well," she started again in a cheery voice. "I will be late for lunch if I don't hurry. I will meet you at the stables at one."

"Yes, my lady," he said as he bowed.

Zelda glanced over her shoulder as she left, grinning with a squinted eye. "Enjoy your reading." _I didn't even know you enjoyed it._

She silently entered the dining hall, hoping that her parents would not notice her being late. Humorously sharp as always, they mentioned her lack of punctuality, before beckoning for her to join them. She explained that the reason she was late was because she ran into Link in the Library.

"So, I see he is interested in reading. I made sure that he knew he could use it whenever he wanted, yesterday afternoon." Her father took a small bite of food after his statement.

"What was he reading?" her mother asked.

"Some history texts. He said it was about the ancient Faronish people… Which perfectly lead to the topic of conversation I wanted to have with you father." Her father looked up meaningfully from his food, waiting for his daughter's explanation. "With mother's advice, I managed to extract some important information from him about his stay in the Faron Region, regarding the Spring of Courage."

The King interrupted her before she could continue. "Zelda, I told you already that you will not go to those cursed woods. Regardless if the Spring of Courage in reach or not. It's far too dangerous."

"So dangerous that you could not send Link in there with no weapons or provisions?" She had already determined that he was the sole proprietor in that plan, seeing it as a test. "But father, he survived. And more than that, he said that all the creatures that inhabited the forest have been killed or fled, the forest is empty of danger."

"What? How can that be?" There was a tinge of stubborn disbelief in his voice.

"Link killed them. And although he would not say it, he also killed the Lynel that lead the horde of monsters, which scattered them and made them easy targets for picking off. There were no lies in his words, I believe him."

"Why would he have not told us this sooner?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Perhaps because we never asked him, or – asked him the right way."

The King leaned back in his chair, stroking the short beard on his chin, deep in thought. "I suppose it would make sense. The surrounding areas have reported and alarming increase in monster activity. They said they came from the Faron Region. Most of them have been dealt with by now, easily killed in small packs…" He sighed, before returning his gaze to his daughter. "Are you certain of this?" She nodded readily. "I will personally speak to him first. I want to hear him say it."

"He is still in the Library. Send someone for him." Zelda's mother quietly motioned to one of the Royal Guards, requesting that someone be sent to retrieve Link. The guard bowed, before disappearing behind the door, relaying the orders to a courier. After a short wait, Link entered the dining hall, looking admittedly worried.

"Your graces. My lady." He bowed before them, returning to a resolute attention.

"Zelda tells us that you cleared the Faron Region of the monsters that fought and killed off one-hundred of our own warriors. Is this true?"

Link flashed a disgruntled glance at Zelda, before answering. "Yes, your grace."

"How? As talented as you may be, that is an impossible task for one man."

 _Impossible for even the next Chosen One?_ Zelda added in her head as a side note.

"I remained undetected for most of my stay, until I had an unfortunate run in with a group of Lizalfos who corralled me to the core of Damel Forest. It was there that I found the Lynel that lead them." Link remained nervously stiff.

"And you killed this Lynel?"

He paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, your grace. When their leader died, they fled the forest in groups. Those that remained were easy to kill off." Every answer that Link gave fell reluctantly, but sincerely.

 _He must have feared that no one would believe him. That's why he never said anything,_ Zelda thought to herself. Her father once again leaned back into his chair. He said nothing, and only intently stared at Link.

"Well then that settles it." The Queens interruption cut the building tension like a knife. "You will go to Damel Forest, and visit the Spring of Courage." The King leaned forward to offer his protest, but his wife shot a glare that he knew he could never hope to fight. It was not often that Zelda saw her mother react in this way, but she could not help but grin when she did.

 _I hope I can grow to be that revered._

Her mother returned to face Zelda, saying: "Well, you should probably buy some travel supplies from Market Square, while you are down there later this afternoon." The Queen then thanked and excused Link, who briskly left the room, looking equally relieved and embarrassed. Despite that, Zelda beamed with pride, Link was finally speaking more, even if it was so formally.

 _I'll note the progress in my diary later._ To excited to wait, Zelda ate as fast as she could, without her mother scolding her, before asking to be excused. With a small grin, her mother nodded, dismissing her. Zelda returned to her room in longwinded strides, asking Gretel to help her change in to her riding gear. She never explained it to anyone, but putting on the tight black trousers, tall riding boots, and her travel blouse and coat, made her feel adventurous, and free. Gretel tied her hair back into a neat braid, allowing small bunches of her golden hair to fly freely in front of her ears. Before she left her room, she made a small entry in her diary, journaling the exciting events that had just passed. From there, she paced forward to the stables, finding that Link was already there, now wearing leather pauldrons on his shoulders, and his sword on his back, instead of on his hip. He was speaking with the stable boy, and tending to horses. He stood next to her horse, Hansel, gently stroking his nose, running his fingers through his long mane, unaware that she was approaching. He produced a bright red apple from his pocket, and secretly fed it to the pure white steed, shushing him as he did. Being a fair man, he walked over to the horse that was declared his new travel companion, lovingly dubbed Zeno, and produced a second apple, and began to feed it to him. She saw him mouth the words: ' _don't tell anyone, it'll be out secret,'_ with a grin. His horse was halfway through the apple by the time Zelda arrived at the open stable door. Link hid the apple behind him, and bowed.

"My lady. The horses are ready when you are."

"Excellent! I see you've taken on the horses quite well." She gestured to the apple behind his back.

He held the apple back out to his horse, now that he had been caught. "They are magnificent creatures. I've never had one to call my own." He gently stroked Zeno's neck. "My lady," he added after a pause, as if he forgot to say it.

"Well, I'm ready when you are!" Zelda grabbed onto the horn of Hansel's saddle, readying to hoist herself up, when Link offered out his hand, so that she could get a leg up. She thanked him, resting her right foot in the stirrup, and placed her left foot in his open palm. He lifted her off the ground with a strong heave, shooting her up and over her horse with ease. Link clambered up onto his horse, jumping off his right leg, swinging it over the saddle. He nodded, and awaited her orders. Zelda lightly tapped her horse, clicking her tongue, sending Hansel to a brisk walk. Link followed close behind, maneuvering his horse with ease, barely having to use his reigns to tell it where to go, Zeno seemed to respond well to his slight gestures. They proceeded out the first guardhouse, following the winding road into Castle Town. The village folk bowed and curtsied as their princess passed, shortly after turning their attention to the fair knight that followed her, Link shied away from their gaze. _He will have to get use to that at some point. People will always stare._

Market Square was brimming with people of all races, trading goods, and offering services. As she had heard, a large band of Gerudo women set up shop in an open space near the fountain in the center of the square, offering fine jewelry and silk dresses. Link held the reigns of both horses, as Zelda scanned the different stalls. She did not find anything of interest, and eventually turned to Link and asked: "What do you think we will need besides food and tents? For our adventure to the Spring of Courage."

"Not much, my lady. It is a relatively straight forward trip, until we reach the borders of Faron Forest. Making it there should only take until the early afternoon, but inside the forest is another matter, as it is heavily vegetated. I would suggest you purchase a strong pair of leather gloves, to protect your hands."

Zelda was pleasantly surprised by his long and detailed answer. _I suppose he knows his stuff!_ "Very well, I will keep an eye out for travel gloves." She continued to scan the other vendors, eventually buying a pair of small gloves, after she was satisfied with the fit. Without her noticing, Link also quickly purchased a small frying pan, and a two-pronged fork, tucking the items in his saddle bag. Zelda continued to pace about, speaking with the owners of various stalls. Once she had her fill of the crowded market, she turned to Link, seeing that a young shaggy haired boy, who looked to be around the age of fourteen, was speaking to him. He split his attention between his conversation and watching her, ensuring that she was safe. When the young boy realized who Zelda was, he embarrassedly bowed, and offered a nervous 'my lady.'

"And who might you be?" she asked with a kind smile.

"E – Eric, my lady."

"And you know Link?"

"Yes, my Lady. I was once his father's apprentice."

 _His father!_ It had been a while since she last thought of him, after giving up on trying to pry any information of that nature from Link. She wondered how Link would react the boy's words, but he seemed unfazed by it. "I see… Well, what may we help you with, Eric?"

"When I saw Link here, I came to ask him what he would do about his house. It's been vacant for well over a month now."

"It's nothing to worry about, my lady," Link adamantly interjected, his dutiful tone taking precedence. "I will take care of it later."

"What do you plan to do with it?" she asked insistently.

Link hesitated to respond, he clearly did not like answer. "Sell it."

"What!? Why? It is your childhood home, you fathers home and workshop."

"I must. I cannot afford its upkeep." His face was downtrodden now, but his tone remained stubbornly stoic.

"That is an issue I can easily fix. I will speak to my father about it, and he will–,"

He unruptured her. "Please, my lady, it really isn't necessary. I would not presume to ask for money. Besides, it would also require someone to take care of the house in my stead."

"I can do that, Link!" Eric's voice now had a chipper quality it. "That is another thing I wanted to mention. Ever since you gave me permission to use the workshop, I have been continuing my work. Your father's old clients still stop by time to time, and I have been fixing and making what I can for them. They seemed pleased with the results, as I have been able to make a small living doing odd jobs. I know I'm not as skilled as your father once was, but I can still hold my own; and as payment for using your workshop, I can look after your house until you move back in."

Zelda grinned at the young boy's vivacious spirit, glad that he was on her side of the argument. _Please don't let go of it, Link. You have to hold onto your past, don't just throw it all away._

"But, my lady–," he began to protest, but Zelda quickly cut him off.

"Link, I will not take no for an answer. That is an order." Link clamped his jaw shut, and his jaw muscles flared out. "You will allow young Eric here to continue your father's business, so that he may build a career, and support himself, and in return he will ensure your childhood home is kept in good condition, understood?"

Link stared at his feet, with a torn expression, but she knew he would not dare disregard a direct order, no matter what silly notions filled his head. "As you wish, my lady."

"Good!" _At least I can get him to listen now._ She did not enjoy having to force him to comply, but she was not going to stand idly by as he sold his only remaining family possession, all because he was to prideful to ask for help. "That settles it then. Eric, it was a pleasure meeting you, I wish you the best of luck in your business endeavors."

"Thank you, my lady! It means the world to me. And to Link, I'm sure." The shaggy haired boy bowed gratefully, then said his goodbyes, before disappearing into the crowd.

Link remained quiet, even while helping her back up onto her horse. He climbed back onto his horse, and walked beside her, as they began their course to return to the castle. A continued silence accompanied Links thoughtful expression, as they left the crowded square.

"My lady," he finally spoke, quietly. "Thank you." His calm eyes shone with genuine appreciation.

"You're welcome, _Link._ " _Maybe next time I won't have to boss you around._ She smiled kindly, and spurred her horse a little faster. _But one step at a time. One small step at a time._


	14. Their First Adventure

_Chapter fourteen, Their First Adventure_

"Are they ready?" The ominous figure peered out onto the crashing waves below, the winds carried sprinkles of salty water. Beyond the horizon the sun had already set, and the stars collided with the sea.

"They are loading the machines as we speak, master," replied the grisly man with a haggard and gargled voice.

"Is there enough ammunition?"

"Yes, master. Although we could fit more, if there weren't so many passengers…"

The darkened cloak enveloped the figures features, his servant could not see his face. "Throw as many as you need overboard. Let the sea take them away, and fill their places with more ammunition."

"Yes, my master. I will do as you command." The beads and jewelry that hung around the servant's neck rattled out as he stooped into a deep bow, and the small skulls that hung on his leather cord clattered out in hollow chimes.

"How long will it take to pass, with an army of this size?"

"A month and a half, master. If the winds favor us."

A crooked smile stretched across the master's face. "They will do more than that." The cloaked figure lifted his iron clad hand, spreading open his fingers. With his other hand, he produced a jagged stone blade from the folds of his cloak, and drew the sharp edge against his palm. A thin trail of black smoke seeped from the wound, when he began to chant.

" _Derin-vin eksten. Versiya molindier achk Hyliavin-vatin."_

The black smoke billowed in his hand, beginning to swirl into a gentle pillar, tapering off to the sky. A deep crimson red pulsated from its center, growing in strength and luminosity. Without warning the pillar of smoke shot into the sky, piercing the white clouds above, corrupting them, and turning them into a similar color of black. The crimson light scattered about in streams of electric energy. A great gale blew in from the east, tearing sails and flags in the wind. Soon a great fog settled upon the sea, and engulfed the harbored fleet, blocking all vision.

"The storm will do my bidding. It will carry us the shores of my enemy."

" _Our_ enemy, my master. Our blades and minds are yours."

The masters penetrating eyes shone beneath his hood. "And never forget that." He stood over his servant, placing a chilling hand on his shoulder. His long fingers dug into his skin, drawing out all warmth. "No go awake _Them_ " His servant bowed, and stooped away to fulfil his masters bidding.

That night, the screams of death echoed across the waters, as countless souls were thrown into the waves below, cracking their heads and bodies on the sharp rocks of the harbor.

* * *

"I used to read about the Great Plateau in my history lessons. It was once the birthplace of our kingdom. But that was eons ago. For over tens of thousands of years, the earth below was pushed and jutted upwards, separating it from the rest of the land, eventually being abandoned by most common folk. Only dedicated monks and scholars remained, to care for the Temple." Zelda gazed upon the majestic stone walls that surrounded the isolated plateau, as their horses sauntered forward. Link remained silent, but gawked at the sheer height and size of the land mass. On the northeast wall, small wooden ramps zigzagged up to the top, only a few men could be seen standing guard at the top. Due to its immense size, the reformed Hylain kingdom found it difficult to scale, and even more difficult to begin repairs on the collapsed entrance that once led to an expansive stair system that reached the top.

"Up there, on the plateau, is where the Shrine of Resurrection lies. It was where my father first awoke well over forty years ago. It's a shame none of the ancient Sheikah technology works anymore. What wonderful things we could do if we knew how to create such machinery." For most of their trip so far, Link never said anything unless she asked him a direct question. At times, she felt like she was talking to herself more than anything, but when she looked over her shoulder, she saw Link intently listening to her every word. His silence was no new revelation for her, however she noticed how significantly more at ease he was out in the wild. His shoulders were finally relaxed, and he would often close his eyes, drawing in the fresh air, with a slight grin on his lips. Whenever a squirrel or other forest animal would dart across their path, he would track it with keen eyes, examining its every movement, noting their behaviors. On his saddle bags hung a short hunting bow, and a small quiver, as well as a rolled up sleeping mat. Zelda had mentioned to him about bringing his own tent, but he politely declined, insisting that it was not necessary for him. It was mid-day when they passed the Great Plateau. "Perhaps we can stop for a visit on our way back. I would love to see the Temple of Time."

"Of course, my lady." Link smiled politely. Before they had left earlier that morning, the Queen instructed her daughter that they should first travel to the Spring of Courage, then on their way back, they would loop back around, and pass through the Dueling Peaks. From there she would gather reports from Fort Hateno, and any other outpost they would pass, then visit Kakariko Village. Her mother explained that now that she was growing older, it was time she started taking a more active role in the running of the kingdom. And so, her first set of tasks were to first ensure that Fort Hateno was operating as intended, with Link serving as her advisor on militaristic operation, and then after that, visit the Sheikah tribe in Kakariko to speak on terms of diplomacy. The Queen did not allot a specific timeframe that this was supposed to happen, understanding that travel can be unpredictable, but she estimated it would take no more than four days of travel. Zelda suggested that since they would be in the Necluda Region, that she and Link should also climb Mount Lanayru, to visit the Spring of Wisdom. However, her mother advised against it, saying that they should first see how traveling for a week would feel, then they could return at a later time, once they were more comfortable and familiar with traveling. She trusted her mother's wisdom, and agreed, with only slight reluctance.

Zelda returned her eyes ahead, taking in the scenery. After a prolonged silence, Zelda thought that she might try striking another conversation with him, and see if she could take advantage of his state of ease. "Do you like it out here? Out in the wild?"

Link pulled his gaze from a nearby grove, before responding: "Yes, my lady."

She grinned. "I can tell. You're so much more at peace out here." She waited for a beat, before continuing. "Not much of a city dweller, are you?" she asked with smile.

"I don't mind the city, my lady…"

"But?" she added.

"But what, my lady?" he said with stern eyes.

She gave him a perplexed look. "Nothing. I just thought there would be more to it." _I know there is more._

"I apologize, my lady."

"Apologize for what?" she pressed in.

His jaw tightened, and he grew uncomfortable. "…I don't know, my lady," he replied curtly.

Zelda pulled on her reins, stopping her horse. "Link. You _are_ allowed to speak your mind. I won't judge you. Who is out here to tell you that you can't have a simple conversation with your Princess?" He averted his eyes from her, trying to think of an excuse, which only irritated her more. "Do I have to demand a response from you every time I ask a question!?" Her tone grew harsh, becoming frustrated with his stubbornness. Link stared down at his saddle, like a child would after being disciplined. _Why won't he talk to me? Really talk to me?_ Whenshe saw that her brashness had upset him, she felt guilty. She sighed deeply before continuing. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you." She could not help but feel like a failure, like it was somehow her fault. _Why can't I help him? I'm only making things worse._ When Link finally looked at her she continued. "Listen, were in this together. Were a team now, and teammates have to learn to communicate. It's our job. Okay?"

The tension in his shoulders released a little, and his expression grew calm again. "Yes, my lady."

"Good." She spurred her horse forward again, thinking about how she would try to continue. They rode forward in silence yet again, as she strategized how she would convince him to speak his mind. Her thoughts were cut short when Link unexpectedly spoke up.

"I don't dislike the city. I just dislike the way people stare at me when I pass by, with you, my lady."

 _Finally!_ She peered over her shoulder, asking: "What do you mean?"

"It puts me on edge. I can't help but feel like they are judging me. The way the villagers stare. The way the lords and ladies stared skeptically at me during your party, the way Lord Aron scoffed at my very presence."

"But they don't know you. They don't know how dedicated you are to serve your kingdom. They don't know that despite your age, you are one of the most skilled knights in the land. Besides, people will always stare, no matter what." For the first time since they started their journey, Link rode side by side with her, he did not linger back, shadowing her steps. Zelda grinned at him, glad that he was finally by her side. "Pay them no mind. It doesn't matter what they think, it only matters what you think."

Link's ears perked up at her last statement. "Thank you, my lady."

"And regarding Lord Aron, just ignore his uptightness. It's common for young lords and ladies to be snobbish." Link did not respond, but the corner of his mouth curled up in a concealed grin. _What does that mean, I wonder?_ They passed through a small guard's outpost east of the plateau, which was surrounded by ruins, as most it was still being slowly rebuilt. A young captain oversaw the outpost, who offered them a place to rest for the day, but they kindly declined, intent on making it to Faron Woods by the evening. They did however briefly stop to eat. They followed the winding path until they came across an expansive bridge, that spanned over Lake Hylia. The bright sunlight danced on the waves and ripples.

"My lady. We should probably speed up a little if we want to make it to the spring before it gets to dark."

"Very well." With an energetic kick, she sent Hansel into an easy gallop, his hooves clopped on the stone bridge. It was a little faster than she originally intended, but the wind in her hair felt nice, and freeing, so she maintained her pace. Link quickly caught up, slowing his horse next to her. He handled his horse so naturally, as it was second nature to him. _They must have trained him well on horseback. He and Zeno seem to get along quite nicely._ They reached the center of the bridge, passing by a large Goron trader, who watched them bewilderedly as they sped past. Zelda glanced at Link, his dark cloak flapped in the wind. They made eye contact, and Zelda grinned, spurring Hansel into an all-out sprint. She laughed as Link grew smaller in the distance, then she looked ahead, planning to win the impromptu race. Without warning, however, Link sped past at a blistering speed, with a boyish grin on his face. He raced ahead only a few yards, before pulling back on his reins, falling back to her side. They exited the other end of the bridge, slowing down to a trot. She could see the border of Faron Forest, watching as the tall trees sway in the breeze. _It certainly doesn't look like an evil forest._

"It will be difficult for the horses to proceed through the forest, but with any luck the road will be a little clearer than last time." It was not long after that they entered to outskirts of the forest. As Link had mentioned, the vegetation almost entirely overtook the road, but he used a short blade to clear a path for the horses. They proceeded on foot towing the horses behind them.

"Is this the path you took last time?" She asked as he swung through the tall brush.

"Yes. We will soon be at the Floria River bridge, and from there we will head north into Damel Forest." They trekked on until they came upon the bridge that Link spoke of. "Allow me to take the horses across first. I don't trust this bridge." Zelda readily agreed, trusting his judgment. Noting that of the two of them, he had the far superior knowledge of wilderness survival; this was his element, his domain. He quickly led the horses across, tying their reins to a branch, all while keeping a close eye on the Princess. He walked back over the bridge, and escorted her across, leading her away from the holes and weak spots in the rickety bridge. They crossed without any issue and continued on their way. Zelda stared in awe at the ginormous decaying stone dragon sculptures that littered the forest. As they followed the winding path ahead, she ran her hands over the tall stone pillars and walls, as if trying to unlock the mysteries of the ancient people who built the monolithic structures.

"Is this why you were studying the Faron people in the Library?" she asked in a gleeful voice, soaking in every detail.

"Yes, my lady." Link kept a steady pace, allowing her to examine the ruins as they walked.

"Mother wanted to do the same as a young woman. But she never had a chance to learn more about them, she was always too busy. And then the monsters overtook this place." _Although, it seems that there is not a trace of them left._ Just as she remarked it to herself they turned a corner, and spotted what seemed to be a decaying outpost. "Is that one of the monster's camps?"

"Was, my lady." he replied plainly. As they approached, Zelda caught wind of a bad smell. It was not long after that she found the source of the smell. There were numerous skeletons scattered across the camp, many with broken skulls or shattered rib cages. They ranged from sizes that were no taller than the average Hylian, to towering ones, with great long horns. While nearly all the flesh was gone, there were still some bodies that had remaining scraps of tendons and muscles that clung to the bone. Heavy vegetation had begun to grow around the decomposing corpses.

"You did all this!?" she gaped.

"Well. I only did half the work, my lady." Zelda turned to ask him for more detail, but his back was already turned away, as he walked on. Link was no longer following the Princess, rather she was stuck to his side, following his every step, as they pulled their horses along. The proceeded down the winding path, eventually coming upon a small riverbend that cut through the land. It was lined with great stone ruins. They passed over a Lizalfos skeleton, as well as a Bokoblin's bones further downstream. "This is the one that gave me this scar," he said with a chuckle, tapping the scar that crossed his brow and went to his cheekbone.

"Looks like he paid for it, dearly," she remarked, examining its caved in ribcage, indicating a blade had been driven through its chest. "Where did you find a weapon to fight them?"

"I picked it up off another Bokoblin I fought my first night here, my lady."

Zelda was glad that he was now speaking to her more readily. As they walked along the river, she saw many arrows scattered on the riverbank, some sticking out of the dirt, and others were sitting broken on the ground. _How in the world did you survive all this? It looks like a warzone._ The river eventually ran into a wide-open valley, encircled by great stone walls. At the norther end of the colosseum stood the gigantic stone dragon carving, with its jaw wide open, and claws at its side.

"Link! There it is!" She ran over the small bridge that lead to the center of the open field, Link shouted at her to wait, but she did not stop, until halting dead in her tracks when she nearly stumbled over the largest set of bones she had ever seen. Two great horns arched out from its skull, bearing a full set of terrifyingly sharp teeth. Its great four legs were splayed out awkwardly, falling to pieces, and its upper body was in shambles. She couldn't help but shriek, which sent Link chasing after her, letting go of the horses. "I'm sorry. It just startled me. I'm fine." She collected herself before asking: "You killed this!?" still in disbelief. He shrugged his shoulders with a grin.

"He almost died doing it too." Zelda spun around, shocked by the unfamiliar voice that called out behind her in a thick foreign accent. What stood before her was unlike anything she had ever seen before. It bore the resemblance of a Hylian woman, but its skin was akin to tree bark, holding in an ethereal green glow within. Its limbs were like that of a tree as well, but only in parts. The ethereal light that seemed to form her center was the basis of her shapely body, and thin branches wrapped around each arm and leg, giving her form more substance. Her eyes were a deep cyan color, that seemed to fluctuate in depth and hue. Zelda stood behind Link, mouth open, entirely lost for words.

"MiarndÍl, I am glad to see you again." Link offered a kind bow.

"And I am overjoyed to welcome you back into my forest, young savior. And I see you have brought company." MiarndÍl gestured to Zelda, who now absentmindedly grasped the back of Link's tunic.

"MiarndÍl, this is Princess Zelda. I have brought her here so that she might pray at the Spring of Courage."

MiarndÍl smiled brightly. "It appears this young one is indeed in need of some courage. Come, my lady, everything is safe."

Zelda cautiously stepped out from behind Link, and nervously curtsied. "Pleased to meet you," she finally said, timidly. "Who… Who are you?"

"I am MiarndÍl. In your tongue, it means Caretaker. I am happy to respond to both, whichever you choose." She took a long step towards Zelda, examining her from head to toe. "I must say, young savior, she is just as beautiful as you described her, if not more." Link grunted, wordlessly protesting the Caretaker's oversharing of information, the tips of his ears burning.

"Caretaker… I've heard mention of that name before…" _Mother talked about her before. But it was so long ago._ Her mind was running at a mile a minute, eventually snapping at Link. "Link why didn't you tell me you met the Caretaker of Faron before!?"

Link cleared his throat. "Well… I did. I believe you thought it was a joke, my lady."

"There's a big difference between saying you met a magical tree-lady, and meeting the Caretaker of Faron!" She did not know if she wanted to slap Link or laugh, it was perhaps a combination of the two.

"I figured it would be easier just to show you, my lady. I didn't think anyone would believe me." Link looked slightly embarrassed, breaking eye contact with her, and began to fidget.

Zelda turned her attention away from her Appointed Knight, and to MiarndÍl. "I'm sorry. It's just a lot of information to process. I have so many questions!" She did not know what to think, the situation was so odd.

"Then give your mind time to process it. In the meantime, please come with me, you two must be weary of travel. I have a place you may rest." MiarndÍl led them to the western bank of the colosseum, treading around a deep pool. With a wave of her hand, the large stone door that guarded her hidden spring grumbled open. "I will see you inside," she said with a grin, before dissipating into a cloud of petals.

"Link!" She pointed a dainty finger where the Caretaker disappeared.

"I know, my lady." He gestured for her to enter the dark tunnel, kindly assuring her it was safe. Zelda glanced back to the dragon sculpture, where the Spring of Courage laid. "We will come back for it later, my lady. I promise." Sunlight poured into the deep staircase, providing just enough light to see. "My lady. I must get the horses, you may go on ahead. Unless you want to wait for me, if it puts you at ease."

"I'll be right here." Although she would not admit it, the idea of going on alone terrified her. Not having Link at her side was a discomforting thought. Link kindly nodded, and ran back to the river, and collected the horses. They had not roamed far, being well trained animals. Link brought them to the entrance, and tied their reins to a small tree that hung low.

"They'll be safe out here, my lady. I'll come to remove their saddles later." Link took his place by her side, and the delved into the depths below together. Zelda gawked at the luminescent blue glow of the cavern ceiling. The crystal-clear waters of the spring gently rippled in the distance, sending faint shimmering blue light across the room. MiarndÍl stood at the center of the spring, practically walking on the water.

"Welcome to my spring, Princess." She bade them to enter further. "This water is clean, and good to drink, if you are thirsty. Please, sit on the soft earth and rest a bit." Link waited for his Princess to sit first, as she tucked her legs to the side, resting on her hand. He sat down to the back-left side of her, laying his arms out on his bent knees.

"MiarndÍl," Zelda began, struggling with the pronunciation. "If I may ask, why are you here now? We know very little of your kind, mostly only through folklore and myths, and very few historical texts. Where have you been? Why resurface now?"

"I was locked away for many centuries, until Link freed me of my bonds." Zelda glanced at Link, who maintained an expressionless face.

"How? Why were you locked away?" Question after question poured into her head, as she tried her best to form a logical list of things to ask.

MiarndÍl smiled, before kneeling in the clear water, sitting in a similar pose to Zelda. "Well over 10,000 years ago, the great reincarnating evil that haunted this land returned in full force to wreak havoc and pain on all of Hyrule. My foolish people believed that they could keep me safe by sealing me away in this spring, hoping to wait out the storm. They set sail over the Great Sea in search of a safe home, promising that they would return. But even after your people's champions sealed the beast, my people never returned. And so here I wasted away for 10,000 years, not even able to protect this ancient forest." MiarndÍl tilted her head at Link, saying: "That is until Link came, and broke away the stone that imprisoned me, despite his grave wounds."

"Grave wounds?" Zelda asked with furrowed eyebrows, empathetically looking at her Appointed Knight. As usual, he shied away from her eyes.

"They weren't that bad," he insisted adamantly, disdained by the attention.

MiarndÍl chuckled, knowing the truth. "His fight with the Lynel was nothing short of exemplary. But slaying such a beast with nothing more than a crude blade, a flimsy bow, and a broken shield proved to be a perilous task. He would have surely died."

"What!?" Zelda gawked at her companion, as he tried to hide his face with his hand by scratching his brow. "Why did you never tell me any of this!?" She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it in his own words, even if she had to pull his tongue out.

MiarndÍl laughed graciously. "I believe you understand his stubborn inclinations towards stoicism just as well as I do, Princess. Let the poor boy be." Link shot a grateful glance at the Caretaker.

"How did he survive!?" Zelda asked urgently.

"After he killed the Lynel, and freed me, I healed him as he passed into unconsciousness. Admittedly, it was not my best performance. Had I been fully recovered from my long imprisonment, I could have fully healed his wounds, removing all traces of scarring, but my waning strength could not allow it. You should see the large scar on his stomach, it's nothing compared to the scratch on his brow."

"Are there any other fatal wounds I should know about!? Any other information you want to hide from me!?" She raised her voice, it was riddled with frustration.

"No, my lady," he responded timidly.

"Well, he did have a broken leg, a large cut on his calf, a concussion, and countless bruises. I believe he also had a dislocated shoulder, but no other fatal injuries," MiarndÍl reported humorously.

Link shot up, declaring: "I need to tend to the horses," before pacing off to the cavern entrance, leaping up the stairs in counts of two steps. Zelda watched him, as he bolted away, confused by his sudden outburst. She shouted at him to wait, but he either did not hear, or chose to ignore her. Zelda stood to chase after him but MiarndÍl stopped her.

"Leave him be, for now. Give him a little time."

Zelda stomped back to her spot on the soil, simmering in frustration, and sat down. "I don't understand that boy! I work and work to get him to open up, then just when I think we're making progress, he just shuts down, and either hides away, or conceals his face." She wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. "I have to practically yell at him to get him to comply." She could feel her eyes growing wet, distraught with failure and longing. MiarndÍl gracefully strode forward, sitting closer to the distressed princess. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be getting worked up over this. It's not right for my position."

"There is nothing to apologize for, Princess. I see now your struggles are alike."

Zelda looked up at the Caretaker. "What do you mean?"

"Link. He bears a troubled mind. War rages on in his head, as he fights himself at every turn, torn between duty, and desire. I have seen and felt what plagues his mind. I believe it is akin to a similar struggle you face."

"Seen and felt? How?" Zelda pulled her chin from her knees, furrowing her eyebrows.

"When I was healing him, I could see into his mind. Unlike the restorative power I possess and have complete control over, I have seemingly no control over my ability to peer into the minds of mankind. It happens regardless."

 _She's seen inside his mind? Maybe she can help me get him back._ "How is that possible? Can you see into my head now?"

"No. I can only see inside someone if I am in direct contact with them."

"What did you see in his mind exactly?" she asked urgently, intently waiting for any information.

"That is not my place to tell. I would not want to betray his trust."

"Did he make you promise not to tell anyone!?" _That would be something he would do,_ she scoffed.

"No. Although I have no doubt he would have before he left last time, if he had known he would be bringing you back here. I-,"

Zelda cut her off. "Please. Can you tell me anything? I need to know."

MiarndÍl ignored her plea, and instead asked: "You do care for him, _don't you?_ " Her sudden question shocked Zelda, and she was hesitant to answer. She scolded her folly in so quickly trusting this mysterious being, realizing how she let her guard down, allowing her emotions to pour out. _'Never show your cards to quick, my dear. You can never truly know what someone might try to use against you.'_ It was advice that came from her mother when Zelda was much younger.

"I have to spend a lot of time alone with him. All I want is to be able with talk with him freely, at least when we are out in the wild." It was only a portion of truth, but her outburst had already betrayed her underlying emotion, and MiarndÍl could see it plain as day.

"As you say, Princess," she replied skeptically. MiarndÍl examined Zelda with an attentive eye, before speaking again. "I must admit, you are not quite as capable of stoicism as your travel companion. Had I not seen his mind, I doubt I could have gleaned very much information from him. But you on the other hand. You wear your heart on your shoulder, even as you try to hide it now." Zelda remained silent, holding back her words, fighting to hide all display of emotion.

 _Is this what he feels like all the time? Suppressing his emotion, holding back words… tears?_ A rush of true sympathy crashed through her body. _How miserable he must be… I thought I understood his pain, but I was completely blind. Even now, I imagine I can't fully grasp the weight her carries._ She cursed herself for being frustrated with him, angry at her own failure and unfeeling. She continued fight back frustrated tears that stubbornly welled in her eyes.

"I thought that maybe once he was appointed to be my knight, he would allow himself to open up… But he only fluctuates between offering only a shadow of his true emotion, to closing off every sense of humanity." She gave up on trying to guard her words, seeing now that MiarndÍl could so easily deduce the truth. "I've never stopped caring for him. Loving him. But now he has driven a wedge between us, and only a mutual duty and responsibility holds it all together. He won't even speak to me about his father."

"His father?"

 _She doesn't know? Of course not. How could she?_ She began carefully, not sure how MiarndÍl would respond. "His father… He died. Only a little more than a month ago, right before he left here."

"I… see." MiarndÍl voice fell off. "I felt how much he loved his father. Goddess help the poor soul. I could not even tell, he seemed completely normal." Her voice was full of emotion. Even though she had never met Link's father, just feeling Link's love for him in proximity brought her a wave of sympathy and sadness over his loss.

"Like you said. He much better at stoicism than me. I sometimes wonder if he's even human." Zelda sighed with heavy eyes. "I mean, he returned to work at the castle the day after his father's funeral, as if he hadn't felt a drop of emotion."

"There is tremendous courage in his heart. I can say that at least."

 _I suppose it would be fitting. He is the spirit of courage personified, only waiting to be awakened._ "Yes. But at what cost? He has no family, and only a few friends that I know of, some of which are too far away. He must be so lonely… How can someone with such a gentle and kind heart be forced to suffer like this alone?" Zelda and the Caretaker sat in silence, under the pale blue light of the cavern. Zelda had many more questions she wanted ask, but feared she would not have the strength to hear the answers.

"He has you, doesn't he? To keep him company, to be a friend."

"I don't even know if we can be considered friends anymore." She wrapped her arms tighter around her legs, trying to comfort herself. "Not with the way he demands formality between us, like we are simply business associates. I could understand if it was in public, but even in the privacy of the wild he speaks like someone is watching and judging his every word."

"No one judges him harder than himself, he is ever teetering into self-contempt. It is a vicious cycle, Princess. I urge you to continue your efforts of opening his heart." MiarndÍl offered an encouraging smile.

"I won't give up. I just wish I knew how to best help him. I just wish I could have him back. The real him." She rubbed her forehead in the crook of her arm, returning her chin to rest on her knees.

"I will speak with him for you. As much as dislikes it, I know his heart. I cannot promise I can share all that I find, as I imagine he will make me swear not to, knowing him. But I will try nonetheless."

Zelda smiled bittersweetly. "Thank you MiarndÍl. If you can even ease his soul, I would be most grateful." MiarndÍl's decree brought some peace to her aching heart, and she allowed to conversation to close. After a thoughtful pause she changed the topic, returning to the original purpose of their mission. "MiarndÍl, I wanted to see if we could have your blessing, and allow us to visit the Spring of Courage. I wish to pray there, to aid my training."

"Of course, Princess. Although, I would suggest you wait until the morning. It will be dark out very soon. I will prepare a place for you and Link to sleep, as well as gather food." MiarndÍl stood gracefully, beginning to glide over to another section of the cavern.

"Thank you MiarndÍl. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated."

"You're welcome, Princess." With her last words MiarndÍl disappeared around the corner.

 _I guess I should go check on Link. And apologize for how I patronized him, if he will even accept my apology._ She proceeded to the stairs, blinking listlessly at the dark tunnel. She held her hands out as she climbed the stairs, eventually hitting the stone doorway at the top. As she felt around for a handle or some device that would open the door, it unexpectedly slid open, sending a cascade of gravel from the ceiling. She emerged, standing under the darkening sky. Link was nearby, having removed the saddles and bags from the horses, and sat on a toppled pillar, examining something on a small leather cord in his hand.

"Link," she said softly as she approached him.

"My lady, how may I help you?" He jumped down from his perch, clasping his fingers shut, hiding the object in his hands.

"Link. I wanted to apologize." She stepped closer to him, looking up into his eyes.

"Apologize for what, my lady? You have done nothing wrong, I should be the one apologizing." His voice sounded so sincere that she wondered if he had really convinced himself that she was blameless for his discomfort.

"No Link, please. I know how unfair it is for you, how so much is expected of you. How you should talk, how you should act. I should not have yelled at you, or grown angry."

"My lady, please, there is no need. I am sorry that I withheld information that you deemed important, I made a poor judgement, I see that now. I only meant to serve my role faithfully."

His dedication was heartwarming. Even after her outburst earlier, he stalwartly remained loyal to her. _What have I done to receive such dedication?_ "And you do such a fine job of it, Link. I could never be justly angry. Shall we put it behind us?"

Link bowed his head. "As you wish, my lady."

"Good." Zelda began to walk back to the cavern entrance, saying over her shoulder: "Come. MiarndÍl said she is preparing food, and a place to sleep."

"Yes, my lady," he said, following closely behind her.

When they sat down to a simple meal of fruits and vegetables, Zelda had to coerce Link to sit and eat with them. He tried to argue it would be rude for him to interrupt the Princess's meal, insisting that he would be more than happy to enjoy his meal outside. To which MiarndÍl said: 'You are in my domain now. And here it is customary that _all_ eat together. It would be ruder to decline, young savior.' Zelda was not sure if MiarndÍl was telling the truth, but she did not care, it worked in bringing Link in to eat with them, reluctant as he was. Zelda asked several questions regarding MiarndÍl's origin, and story, listening intently as she recalled events from ages past. She found that much of what MiarndÍl spoke of was cut off, or unrelated to the kingdom of Hyrule during that time, as the Faronish people were a secluded race. After their meager supper, Zelda yawned, yearning for rest. MiarndÍl led her Hylian guests to a separate section of the cavern, presenting them to a large, singular, thatched bed. Link squirmed in awkward discomfort.

"MiarndÍl, is there a second bed somewhere?" he asked with reddened ears.

"No. Why do you, young savior?"

Link stepped closer to MiarndÍl, blocking Zelda's view of them, as he whispered: "It is not customary for Hylians to share a bed. Not unless they're…"

"I see. Forgive me, I am not accustom to the Hylian's ways. I can prepare another place for you."

"Do not concern yourself. I have a sleeping roll I can use." Link left in a hurry, embarrassed by his uncontrollable redness. Zelda tried to hide an amused grin, admittedly also a little flustered by the idea of them sleeping in the same bed, noting her own rising redness. When he returned, his hood was pulled over his head, and he set about unraveling his sleeping roll just around the corner of the cavern, so that Zelda had privacy. He also brought her sleeping roll, so that she could have a blanket and something to rest her head on. She thanked him, and dismissed him. She laid down in her makeshift bed, finding it hard to get comfortable. It certainly wasn't her comfy castle mattress, and her blanket was itchy. She tossed and turned, wondering how Link spent a month sleeping in probably much worse conditions.

 _I doubt I could ever do that. Survive out here on my own. It takes a special kind of person to do that, and he is nothing short of special._ She sat in bed for the better part of an hour, never fully falling asleep, as the day's events ran through her mind. The cavern was completely silent, and the luminous stoned above her grew dim. The only noise she could hear was her own breathing, and Link occasionally stirring in his bed around the corner. However, just as her eyes began to shut, she heard a faint rustle, and a quiet whisper. It was MiarndÍl's soft voice, beckoning Link to stand. Their whispers grew fainter as they walked further away. Zelda tried to press her curiosity away, desiring to get some much need rest, but she could not bring herself to stay. As quietly as she could, she sat up in her bed, stealthily rolling to the side, and followed the wall of the cavern, until she peered around the corner to hear what they were saying, hiding behind the sharp rocks.

MiarndÍl spoke first, although she missed the first half of her question. "… told me about your father… what happened?" Link's shoulders sank, and his head drooped.

"A sickness of the lung took him. He was dead long before I arrived. Had I known, I would have brought him here… If only I had known. I could have saved him. But I was too late. Two days too late." She heard his wavering voice fail, as he fought back the shudders of tears. MiarndÍl held out a long slender hand, as if gesturing to him. He nodded despondently, and she reached out and cupped his cheek. They stood in utter silence. Zelda could see MiarndÍl gaze up at the ceiling, her eyes shifting in every differing hues and saturations of cyan, lost in Link's mind. After a brief moment, she withdrew her hand.

"You poor child. There is now way you could have known. How can you blame yourself?"

"Because I should have been there for him," his voice was shattered and downcast. "If only I could have been there just two days earlier, I could have brought him back here. But instead I was stuck in the forest all because of some damned superficial trial." She saw a tear run down his cheek. It was the first time she had ever seen him cry, and she desperately wished she never had. Watching him pull himself apart was like a dagger in her heart, bringing up tears of her own.

"Link. These are things of the past. It is always easy to look back in hindsight and try to argue how you would have done it differently. But in the end, there is nothing we can do. You are the unwilling victim of loss, but it is the struggle all mortal things face." MiarndÍl stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, like a mother comforting her brokenhearted child. "In every vision I saw of your father, I felt how strong, and how kind he was. It is rare to see such compassion in the world, and we should not toil away his legacy by regretting the unchangeable fate of this world. Come now, and shed a tear of mourning for him, for you shall find comfort. And when you are done, take up courage in his name."

Link sniffled. "Have honesty, kindness, and courage. That is what he always said to me. Sometimes I can't help but feel like I fail to live up to those expectations every day."

"Do you believe that he would say the same?"

Link paused thoughtfully, searching his mind. "No…"

"Then that is all that matters. How could a father not beam with pride for such a valiant son?"

"Valiant?" he scoffed.

"Yes. Even your Princess praises your kind heart." MiarndÍl finally let go of him, stepping back a half pace.

Link sighed deeply. "I wish she didn't. It makes it so much more difficult. But I am grateful nonetheless."

MiarndÍl tilted her head, finally saying: "Come. Your swollen eyes need rest. I will see you in the morning."

"Thank you, Caretaker."

Zelda rushed back to her bed, hoping she would not be seen. She settled back in and curled up under her blanket. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks, as her heart throbbed. _How does he keep his tears bottled up?_ Her heart ached, replaying the imagery in her head, the single tear rolling down his face. ' _I wish she didn't. It makes it so much more difficult.'_ She could not think of an explanation for his wording, or meaning. _What is difficult? Hiding your emotion?_ She could not decide on an answer. In a small way, she was envious of MiarndÍl, watching her so easily embrace and comfort Link. Her heart cried out, desiring to be the comfort that he clung to, holding him in her arms, gently swaying him. _But no. I am banished to the outskirts of unfeeling, and withdrawn affection._ She promised herself that she would never give up, but that did not make her heart ache any less. _I guess there's nothing I can really do at this point but hope and pray._ She tried to form a pragmatic plan for their tasks that would come in the morning, but before long her heavy, swollen eyes closed, and she passed into a restless sleep.


	15. The Road to Lanayru

**_Authors note:_** Hiya, sorry for the wait. I considered splitting this chapter into two smaller one, but it just didn't feel quite right cutting it in half. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. As always, thank your for the love and support!

May the goddess smile upon you,

 **\- Written In Bold**

 _Chapter fifteen, The Road to Lanayru_

"Princess. Wake up." MiarindÍl knelt over her. "It's getting late, you will need to hurry to stay on time."

"Where's Link?" she asked, rubbing her dry eyes, as she drowsily propped herself up on her elbows, noting her stiff and uncomfortable back.

"He's outside. He's been up for a while now. He asked me to come and wake you." A small grin stretched across her lips. "I think he was too afraid to do it himself."

Zelda blinked, trying to clear her droopy eyes. "Why would he be afraid?"

"You know how he is… Come, get up. You may wash your face in the cool water, I can tell you need it." MiarindÍl glanced at her knowingly, and Zelda wondered if she knew she eavesdropped on them the night before. She stood up and followed MiarindÍl past the spring and to a small, deep well in the cavern, and then she silently evaporated away. Zelda cupped the surprisingly warm water in her hands and began to rub her eyes and skin. She felt the puffy bags under her eyes, the clear indicators of tears recently shed. She dried her face off in the crook of her arm, and untied her braid, running her fingers through her hair. She stood up, and pulled her hair back over her ears, deciding to let it flow freely, as her golden locks curled slightly due to being tied in a tight braid during their trip. When she was satisfied, adjusting her travel garments, she exited the cavern through the tall stairway, which was already open. Not far off to her right, Link sat around a small campfire, which had small frying pan sitting on the hot coals. Zeno craned his long neck over Link's shoulder, nudging him with his snout, to which Link only grinned and pushed him away, to busy cooking to pet him. For a moment Zelda only wanted to watch him happily sit in the damp grass, contently busying himself with his work.

 _He doesn't seem upset. I hope he feels better, earnestly._ She leaned against the wall of the stone doorway, observing her silent companion tend to the fire and whatever he was cooking. With an intense stare, he carefully flipped what looked to be two small cuts of fish in the pan, then produced a small pouch from his saddle bag that had a number of glass shakers. He opened one and pinched the fine powder inside between two fingers, sprinkling it over the fish. After allowing it adequate time to sizzle, he used his cooking utensil to scoop the fish out onto two separate metal dishes. Satisfied with his handiwork he stood up, carrying the two plates in each hand. When he saw that Zelda was watching him from afar he paused for a moment, with a surprised expression, examining her freely flowing hair. No doubt he wondered how long she was watching him.

"Good morning, my lady." He bowed kindly.

"Good morning, Link. How are you this morning?"

"Fine," he said plainly with a small smile. "I cooked some fish, if you are hungry, my lady. I grew tired of only eating fruits and vegetables." He held out one of the metal dishes, which had a simple fork laying on the side. "It's nothing special… But-"

"Thank you, Link. It looks delicious." She smiled affectionately, grateful for his thoughtfulness. She took the dish from his hand, bringing it over to a small boulder, clambering up onto, and sat down.

"Where's MiarindÍl?" Link asked as he sat down on a nearby rock.

"I don't know. She disappeared after she woke me." She took a small bite of the freshly cooked fish, tasting its delicate and rich flavor. "Link, this is amazing! Where did you learn to cook fish like this? It tastes just like the fish we have at the castle."

He grinned faintly, as he finished chewing before answering. "I asked for help from one of the chefs in the kitchen, my lady. He offered me some advice, as well as giving me some of his special spices."

 _So he will ask for the chefs help, but not even mine?_ A tinge of frustration surfaced in her, seeing that he was more willing to openly speak with a member of the kitchen staff, than he was to speak with her. "I see. Well I must commend you, who knew you could be such a fine cook?" She forced a polite smile. "How did you even catch the fish?"

"With my bow, my lady," he said before taking another bite.

"Impressive." They sat in awkward silence, quietly enjoying their meal. "Well. I suppose once we finish eating we can head to the Spring of Courage, then be on our way."

"Yes, my lady." When they had finished with their meal, Link gathered the dishes and frying pan, and washed them in the nearby river. From her saddle bag, Zelda gathered a simple ceremonial white dress, a golden necklace that was shaped like the Royal Family's crest, and two golden bracelets that bore the symbol of the Triforce. While Link was busy putting out the fire and collecting his things, she reentered the cavern, and changed into her dress. To her displeasure, she found it difficult to button the dress in the back, since she usually had her handmaid to help her dress every morning.

 _You'll have to forget about all the niceties of the castle. Out here, such things do not exist._ She fidgeted with it a while longer, eventually giving up and called out: "MiarindÍl. Can you hear me?"The cavern remained quiet, until a faint breeze flew in, and MiarindÍl materialized before her.

"Yes, Princess."

"Where were you?"

"I was tending to the forest. It is admittedly become very stubborn over the centuries. How may I help you?"

Zelda hesitated for a moment, almost as if she was embarrassed by her request. "Would you mind buttoning the back of my dress?"

"What does that mean?" MiarindÍl asked perplexedly. Zelda turned around, presenting the open flaps of her dress, pulling her hair over her shoulder, revealing her bare back.

"I need you to close it, and use the buttons to keep the dress together. I can't reach the buttons by myself."

"I see. It seems very silly that your people would make clothing that you cannot put on yourself. You Hylians have such strange customs." MiarindÍl stepped forward, examining the buttons with her oaken fingers. "I am always happy to help, but why not ask Link to help you?"

"What!? I can't ask him."

"Well why not?" MiarindÍl asked humorously.

"Because… Well…" She could not find a way to appropriately word her answer, and her face grew red. Before she could answer she felt MiarindÍl's hand on her bare back. A tingling sensation ran up her spine, and into her brain. It was an unexplainable feeling, as if there was another being inside her mind. She felt the presence scatter through her head, as if searching for an answer, and eventually it stumbled upon the source of her awkward discomfort, in all its unkept and scandalous imagery.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I see now. That would explain the bed incident last night as well." MiarindÍl withdrew her hand, before quickly buttoning her dress up. "You Hylian's are strange creatures. So many unspoken rules."

"Well did your people run around naked all the time!?" Zelda scoffed.

"No. But there was not so much scandal attached to such things; they bore no shame." MiarindÍl chuckled a little, before pulling her hair back over her shoulder. "All done."

 _I should have a tailor make it easier to button myself when we return to the castle. Somehow._ "Thank you, Caretaker." Zelda returned to the outside world, after donning the necklace and bracelets. When she exited she paused, taking in the cool breeze of the morning, and the soft cloud that danced on the blue sky. When she withdrew her gaze from the sky she noticed that Link was staring at her, with wondrous blue eyes. He averted his gaze when she looked at him.

"I'm ready when you are, my lady." He gestured to the great dragon sculpture on the far end of the valley. Zelda nodded, and the proceeded, with Link following behind. It was a short walk to the Spring of Courage, and soon they stood at the mouth of the beast. At the end of a broken stone path lay a shallow pool, and an enormous statue depicting the goddess Hylia. Behind the statue stood one of the many Sheikah shrines that once glowed orange and blue on the landscape of Hyrule, but it was now closed off, and dead. They reached the edge of the spring, and Zelda gestured for Link to stay put as she waded out into the water after removing her shoes. The water was cold at first, but the closer she drew to the statue, the warmer it became. She glanced back at Link, who offered an encouraging nod. She looked up to the statue and closed her eyes.

 _If you can hear me, please listen to my prayer. I ask that you bless me with the strength to fulfil my duty as your descendant. Although my companion does not know his role in all this yet, ask that you bring him strength and courage as well. I ask that you would bless our bond as Hero and Descendant, so that we may fight back the reincarnating evil that haunts our people._ Zelda began to call forth the power from her core, extending it to her arms and legs. She felt the warmth on her hand, and she knew without looking the Triforce glowed brilliantly on the back of her hand. _I pray that you will take my meager ability, and help it grow, so that I may_ _save my people from impending danger._ Zelda waited for a response, or a feeling, but she felt nothing. She stood in silence, and eventually open her eyes, looking down at her hand. The golden light that emanated from it refracted off the water, and danced on the ceiling. _Would you send a sign? Confirmation? Anything?_ Again, she heard no answer. She looked over her shoulder, surprised to see that Link was standing in the knee-deep water behind her, bewilderedly craning his neck, staring at the glowing symbol on her hand. The golden light that shone from her hand met his face, and it reflected off his deep blue eyes, accentuating their brilliance, and sharpening their piercing gaze. His eyes met hers and he blinked inquisitively. Zelda turned her attention back to the statue, closing out her prayer. _I pray that you smile down upon me._

Link pulled himself up out of the spring and unto the dais of the stone pathway, his boots squelching, filled with water. She tiptoed back to the platform and readied to climb out, when Link held out his hand. She grabbed it, and with ease he pulled her from the water, as if she were light as a feather. She thanked him, holding onto his hand a little longer, until he withdrew it. He continued to closely examine the outside of her hand, where the symbol had now faded away.

"I've never seen anything like it, my lady," he said wondrously. "Did you feel anything?"

Zelda sighed. "No. Not really. But maybe it still helped in some way, and I just don't know it." She looked down at his soaking boots and pants, and laughed a little. "Come. You'll want to dry off before we leave." They returned to their horses, packing up their belongings. Link began to saddle the horses, barefooted, collecting the Lynel sword that was buried in the dirt near its corpse, to keep as a trophy, while Zelda dressed back into her travel clothes, with MiarindÍl's help, and neatly hung her white dress up to dry. MiarindÍl was admittedly downtrodden that they had to leave already.

"I wish we could stay longer, MiarindÍl, but we have many things to attend to," Zelda said when they returned outside.

"I understand, Princess. I extend an open welcome to both you and Link, should you ever need to return here."

"Thank you. I'm sure we will return someday." _At least,_ _I hope that we will. Together._

"Thank you, MiarindÍl." Link's voice was soft, Zelda assumed that he was sad to leave again. After letting his boots dry near the dying fire, he pulled them over clean socks, and adjusted his tunic, nodding that he was ready whenever she was. Zelda neatly tucked her dress away in her saddle bag, along with her jewelry, and then tied her hair back.

"Well. I guess there's no time like the present. We should get going Link."

"Yes, my lady," he said, trying to sound even and tempered.

Zelda placed a kind hand on his shoulder. "Cheer up! We will be back." She was relieved to find that he did not pull away from her touch. He dipped his head politely, and thanked her.

"I will follow you to the edge of the Faron Region. We can say our last goodbyes then." The trio walked along the winding river that ran through Damel Forest, eventually passing by the abandoned monster camp, which already looked significantly more grown over than the day before.

 _She must have the power to help this forest grow quickly,_ Zelda thought to herself. She wished she had more time to learn more about MiarindÍl, and her mysterious powers, but her questions would have to wait for another time, as Link and MiarindÍl spoke on several matters, exchanging knowing nods and gestures, as if the spoke in a silent language. She was content on listening to them speak, and to watch them gesture. At Link's request, she taught him a few words in the tongue of the Faronish people. She pronounced the name for trees, beasts, the sky, and sea, all in a slow clear tone, so that he may learn them.

" _Sasherav-min,_ are the words for the sea. Or more accurately ' _deep-water.'_ A lake or pond is called _Sasherav-mil_ , or ' _shallow-water.'"_ Link repeated the words, as MiarindÍl coached him on its pronunciation, explaining that the 'ra' sound was spoken on the tip of the tongue, against the roof of his mouth, instead making a 'ruh' noise. They ended their impromptu speech lesson when MiarindÍl declared that she must depart. "I cannot tarry much farther from the forest. As I am bound to its borders, like a tree's roots are bound to the earth. To leave would be to pull up my roots, and I would surely die, and this forest would be consumed in darkness."

"Consumed in darkness?" Zelda asked quizzically.

Before MiarindÍl could answer, Link added in his own question. "Is that what happened in Thyphlo Forest?"

MiarindÍl seemed pleasantly surprised by Link's question. "Why yes, actually. How did you know that, Link?"

"Well. I read about a theory that Thyphlo Forest was once inhabited by an offshoot of Faronish people, since there is similar architecture in that dark forest, as in this one."

"Yes. There was once a small tribe that lived there, although their Marindol died long ago, when he left the forest, dooming his people to be consumed by the darkness that creeps over that land."

"Why did he leave?" Zelda asked with wide eyes.

"I do not know. Perhaps he feared something within. All of the Marindel know the possible penalty for leaving their land, I'm sure he had great need to do such a reckless thing…" MiarindÍl walked in silence, lost in a deep pondering state. She finally stopped, saying: "Well, Princess, young savior, I'm afraid I must leave you now. Please, never hesitate to visit me."

"Of course. Thank you, MiarindÍl, we will ever be grateful for your hospitality." Zelda spoke in a noble voice, mimicking the way she heard her mother always bid farewell to friends.

"Goodbye, Princess. Goodbye, young savior." MiarindÍl bowed her head. They mounted their horses, now that the road was clear enough to ride on, and then gestured goodbye. Zelda looked over her shoulder once they had left the border of Faron Forest, and watched as MiarindÍl dissipated into a thousand lightly colored pedals. They followed the path before them at an easy pace, eventually crossing back over Lake Hylia. Zelda looked over the railing, admiring the view.

"Father said he once saw a great dragon emerge from these waters, and drift upon the winds. To think that he saw the great dragon Farosh… I envy him."

"Do you know what happened to Farosh?" Link asked. Zelda was pleasantly surprised by his curiosity, but glad.

"No. But maybe he will come back someday." She looked out listlessly on the lake, thinking about all that had transpired during their adventure. She thought about how, like the great dragon Farosh, the Link she once knew had disappeared without a trace, and she prayed that he would one-day return. _Well. Not disappeared, just hidden away._

"I'm sure he will come back. Dragons do not disappear for no reason." There was an air of optimism in his voice, and Zelda smiled bittersweetly, understanding that Link did not know about her comparison of him to Farosh, but she took comfort in his optimism anyways.

 _I hope that he does. For both our sakes._ "I agree," she sighed gloomily. She could feel his eye on her, as if he was trying to mentally deconstruct the cause of her melancholy. In her peripheral she saw him open his mouth, as if he was going to ask a question, but then he closed it, and looked away. They traveled in relative silence, as Zelda was too caught up in her own mind to try to start conversations.

* * *

The vast heights of the Great Plateau loomed overhead as the Princess and her Knight followed the gravel path north, and then east, passing by East Post fort. To their right they spotted another powered down shrine, standing obstinately under the beating sun. They crossed Proxim bridge, and the majestic Dueling Peaks could be seen in their full splendor ahead of them. They began to run into many traveling traders, and the occasional band of soldiers, who would stop and salute their Princess. As they would pass, their eyes would turn to Link, with expressions that Zelda could not determine to be skepticism and judgement, or fearful respect. Link kept his eyes dead ahead, ignoring his shield-brothers' discomforting gaze. Across Squabble River to their left, sat the Dueling Peaks tower, which was now retracted into the water, only its pointed peak pierced the surface. They ventured on, and rode in the dark shadow cast by the Peaks, which significantly reduced the heat, following the path that split the two mountains. When they exited the other side, they could see small pillars of smoke rising from the nearby fort in Blatchery Plain, and a small stable and accompanying shrine to their left. The presence of soldiers increased tenfold, who all reacted the same way the battalion they had run into earlier.

Fort Hateno was a small, but formidable settlement, although one could argue that it was more easily classified as a camp, than a fort. On the eastern end of the valley, between two mountainsides stood a stone wall that separated West Neculda from its eastern brother. Link grew stiff and ridged as they entered the outskirts of the camp, his face now lost from all emotion. A young courier greeted them, alerting them that the Commander of Hateno was waiting for the Princess's arrival at the center of the camp. The Commander had received word by a Rito messenger sent by the King that she was to visit. The courier led them to a small wooden building that was surrounded on two sides by rows of soldier's barracks, where there stood a regal individual. The Commander had ashen white hair, and a short beard. His eyes face bore the wrinkles and bags of a well-versed soldier, a man who would soon retire from his position as the Commander of Hateno, due to his age. He hobbled forward from the porch of his office, and graciously bowed to the Princess.

"My lady. Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Commander Graysen, the overseer of Fort Hateno." He clasped his boney hands behind his back, dipping his head down as he introduced himself.

"I am pleased to meet you, Commander Graysen. I understand my father has already sent you word of my reason for visiting?"

"Yes, my lady. I would be happy to show you around Fort Hateno, and give you a full report of the status of this settlement. Although, you must be tired and hungry from your travels, I beseech that you may join me for an early dinner, and rest a little before we begin." The old commander smiled kindly, and gestured with his wobbly hand to his quaint office.

"Thank you, Commander. We would be happy to join you." Zelda dismounted Hansel, and handed her reins to the stable boy who answered his commanders call. Link also handed his reins to the boy, and he led them to the fort stable. The Princess strode forward confidently, walking alongside the elderly commander, who then asked the courier to go to the cook and have a hot meal prepared for them. He led her into his office, which housed a simple but sturdy dining table, two small bedrooms, and an office space. Zelda entered first, followed by Commander Graysen, but Link took his post near the door, standing guard outside.

"Link?" Zelda asked when she realized he had not entered, and instead stood expressionless on the porch, facing outwards.

He turned and leaned in. "Yes, my lady?" His eyebrows peaked, as if he was confused.

"Will you not enter, and eat with us?"

"I would not wish to be presumptuous, my lady. I will stand guard." His eyes were stern and unfeeling.

Commander Graysen spoke in a grunted voice, taking notice in her Appointed Knight for the first time since they arrived. "She will be safe in here. You may go to the dining hall, on the western side of the camp, where the other knights eat. I'm sure you'll fit right in." The Commanders tone bore a condescending air.

"Yes, Commander." Link bowed and stepped forward to close the door, when the Princess interrupted.

"No. Link is not only serving as my Appointed Knight, but as my military advisor as well. He will eat with us." The Princess's voice was authoritative and bold, to the point that she sounded standoffish with the elderly commander.

"As you wish, my lady. However, I must voice my concern. I have not received word that this boy has any real combat experience. As gifted as he may be, I do not believe he is qualified to serve as an advisor."

"So, you will openly disregard the King's bidding?" she retorted forcefully.

"No… Of course not, my lady. I merely wished to voice my concern." The Commander's pride sounded hurt by her words, but he gestured for Link to enter. Link reluctantly stepped in and took his post near the door, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

"Commander Graysen, would you please send your courier to also fetch a plate for Link."

The Commander, stood to fetch his courier, but Link interrupted. "There is no need, my lady. I am not hungry." Zelda squinted at him, entirely skeptical of his claim, but she figured it would only put him on edge more if she insisted he sat down and ate, and so she reluctantly agreed.

"So, Commander, how fares the fort? How are the men?"

The Commander began, ushering her to a chair, before taking his own seat. "It fares well, my lady. I have nothing major to report, other than a small increase in monster activity to the south west." Zelda shot a knowing glance at Link. "But they have been dealt with. The men are well, although they often grow bored. They've started a fighting club to pass the time."

"A fight club? Surely there is a better way to ease their boredom without them beating each other senseless?"

The Commander chuckled. "You would think. However, they are insistent on it. I've allowed them to continue, as long as they do not become too wild, or malicious." The Commander paused, as their food had arrived, to which they heartily eat. "How are things back at the castle, my lady?"

"They are well, as far as I can tell. Link could shed more light on the matter, however." Zelda glanced over her shoulder and grinned. The Commander stared and awaited the _boy's_ response.

"Fifteen new Knights have been inducted into the ranks of the Royal Guard recently, and Captain Kerrigan has already begun training the next company of recruits, who are on track to graduate in four years. Our numbers are growing stronger, but we are still in need of capable engineers, to properly man the battlements' war machines. I estimate that we will require fifty more men to fill the roles, however in a pinch, we can always call up men from the southern and western outposts."

The Commander only nodded, deciding not to grace Link's report with an answer. Link's face was unchanged, but underneath he grew frustrated, having taken extensive amounts of time at the castle to gather reports from the officers the week before, so that he could properly serve as the Princess's advisor, but it was obvious the Commander did not care for what he had to say. The Commander and Princess spoke for a little longer, while they finished their meal. When they were full, they stood and began their patrol of the fort, to gather first hand observations.

"How many men do you have stationed here?"

"Approximately one-hundred men, my lady. It is a small fortress, so we need not keep our numbers high." Commander Graysen sauntered forward with his hands behind his back, occasionally glaring through one eye over his shoulder at Link, who followed close behind. The Commander led them to the eastern wall, and they spent time examining the ballista stationed above. Link eyed the machinery with skepticism, finding a major fault in one of the one of the ballista.

"Commander, who is your head engineer?" Link asked.

"That would be Lieutenant Herin. Why do you ask?"

"This ballista has a cracked crank assembly. If someone were to try to load this, it would surely fire prematurely. I suggest you have for Lieutenant take a look into the matter, before someone gets hurt."

The Commander squinted his eyes, searching for the small crack in the system. "Very well. I will have Lieutenant Herin look into it. Perhaps you have a keener eye than I anticipated."

"Both Commander Varin, and Captain Kerrigan regard Link as one of their brightest students," Zelda added, finding guilty pleasure in seeing Commander Graysen taking back his rude words from earlier. They continued to walk the camp, taking note of necessary adjustments, and offering feedback to the men. It was during this time that Zelda truly appreciated Link's expertise. Had he not been there by her side, she feared her visit to the fort would have been useless, and unhelpful; more embarrassing than anything else. As if he could understand her silent language, he would fill in the void of her own lack of knowledge, and provide structured questions, or comments to the Commander. Zelda would offer him knowing nods of gratitude, to which he would dip his head with a polite grin. When they had finished, she asked the Commander if she could use his desk to write her report to send back to the castle. The Commander, of course, agreed, and offered to help, but she instead requested Link's assistance.

Link was a patient teacher, helping her format her report in a concise and detailed manner, first listing an overview of their visit, then forming the positive and negative aspects of the forts operation into credible and useful information.

"The most important aspect of forming a report, is keeping it straight forward. Use concise language and support every point with detailed information, but don't add unnecessary chatter to fill the page up." After revising several rough drafts, she wrote her closing remarks at the bottom, restating the main issues that needed to be addressed, and then signed her name. Link, trying his best not to smear his left hand through the ink, wrote an exact copy of her report, had her sign it, and left it on the Commanders desk. Zelda sealed her copy of the report and gave it to a Rito messenger to have it returned to the castle, addressed to her father.

"Do you see what I meant yesterday, about us working as a team? It's all about communication. I personally think we tackled this quite well together." She smiled at her loyal companion, who returned an honest grin.

"Yes, my lady. I think it all worked out quite well."

Zelda chuckled. "Well, everything except for Commander Graysen walking all over you. I do believe I could have slapped him for his rudeness."

"I don't blame him, my lady. It is only natural, healthy even, to be skeptical of those who have not proven themselves when they are held in high positions."

"There's a big difference between healthy skepticism, and downright disrespectful remarks," she insisted adamantly. "Besides, you _are_ combat experienced. Was it not you that single handedly killed a Lynel, and then cleared out a forest that once claimed the lives of one-hundred soldiers?"

"Well, I did have help for the rest of the monsters. But I appreciate the sentiment, my lady. Do not worry about what they say to me, I am more than capable of handling their criticism." By the time they had finished it was dark out, and so the Princess tucked herself away very earlier in the guest bedroom of the Commanders office. She was grateful for the comfort of a real mattress, and not the thatched bed she slept on in Damel Forest.

Link was assigned to an empty bed in one of the many soldier's barracks in the camp. He sluggishly pulled of his leather pauldrons and grieves, then removed his light blue tunic, so that he could take off the light chainmail underneath, then replaced his tunic. His stomach growled in hunger, and he cursed himself for not taking the chance to eat earlier that day. He left the barracks in search of food in the empty dining hall, managing to only gather scraps. After his meager meal, he left to turn in for the night when a young soldier stopped him.

"Hey, you're the Princess's Appointed Knight, right?"

"Yes," he curtly said with furrowed eyebrows.

The soldier grinned. "Of course you are, who else would flaunt around in such a fine tunic?" The soldier shifted slightly. "Anyways, we heard rumors that you're one hell of a fighter. You should stop by the eastern wall, and check out the fighting ring. There's some good money in it... If you win, that is." Link remained silent, only squinting at the young soldier. The soldier grinned again, saying: "Don't worry. We'll make sure we don't hurt that pretty little face of yours… Maybe." Without another word the soldier excused himself, and headed east.

Link let the idea sift through his head awhile. _Well. It would be nice to do something physical. I haven't worked my muscles since the tournament. But I shouldn't, what would Zelda think?_ He mulled it over some more, before deciding to at least check it out.

A large group of soldiers crowed into a large circle, cheering and booing as two shirtless men exchanged bloody fists. The young soldier from earlier saw Link approaching, and ushered him into the group.

"I told you he would come! I know a fighter when I see one! C'mon lads, place your bets." They grabbed Link by the arms and pulled him into the center of the ring. He halfheartedly tried to excuse himself, but the men that surrounded him jeered him on, refusing to take no for an answer. "Who wants to fight 'ol Golden Boy? See if the rumors are true about the Princess's Appointed Babysitter." Link scowled at the soldier after his crude remark, staring him down with intense eyes. "Ah! I see the feisty eyes on this one. C'mon fellas, who will fight him?"

From within the crowd stepped out a burly man, with a grotesque amount of chest hair. "I'll fight Golden Boy. He looks like a strong fighter." The crowd cheered.

"Alright! Looks like its Golden Boy versus Burly Ben. Place your bets now." After accepting the bets from all the patrons of the club, the young soldier called out to Link. "You'll want to get rid of your tunic and undershirt, unless you want it to get bloody and messy." Link took his advice and removed his tunic and shirt. The crowd jestingly 'oo'd' and 'ahh'd' as he did. "Looks like Golden Boy has got the body to make the tavern women swoon, eh lads?" The crowd laughed and jeered. "Alright. Bets are placed, good luck gentlemen." The young soldier addressed the fighters. "Remember, groin shots are the only illegal move, wouldn't want to take away another man's chance at having children, eh? Golden Boy?" Link and Ben shook forearms before taking opposite ends of the ring.

 _I can't believe I just got myself into this._ To his surprise, he could not hold back his grin, the whole scenario was just too exhilarating. The young soldier beckoned for them to begin, and so they crashed to the center, exchanging fists, and knees. Ben was a slow, but powerful fighter, and took the brunt of Link's fist on more than one occasion, but seemed unfazed. Link sustained a strong fist to the ribcage and cheek, but he had managed to slow down most of its velocity with his arm. After exchanging blows, Ben tackled Link to the ground, pinning him down, striking him square in the nose, drawing blood. He pulled his fist back for another hit, but Link jolted his hips, throwing Ben off balance. He wrapped his arms around Bens neck, and under his armpit, grabbing hold of the other hand, and squeezing with all his might. Ben' face turned bright red, as he struggled for air, throwing a wild fist into Link's side repeatedly. Using his legs, he restrained his other arm, and leveraged himself above Ben. The burly man writhed on the ground, eventually breaking free of Links hold, gasping for air, but Link struck him square in the jaw with a tight fist, tearing the skin on his knuckles, and knocking out Burly Ben. The crowd erupted into cheers, chanting 'Golden Boy, Golden Boy!'

"Well I'll be damned; the rumors are true! You can take your cut of the winnings now, or you can keep on fighting." Link wiped the blood from his nose away, after helping Ben back up when he regained consciousness. The crow waited for his reply, rupees in hand, waiting to cheer on their new champion.

He scanned the crowd. "Well. I've got nothing better to do, I guess." The crowd cheered him on as a new contender approached. They placed their bets, this time almost exclusively on Link, and waited expectantly. To his surprise, his second and third opponent were easier than the first, all barely inflicting any damage. The crowd died off after a while, when no one wanted to face Link, and so he took his cut of the winnings and left, allowing others to fight on. They all slapped his back as he left, offering their brotherly congratulations and praises.

"If you can fight half as well with a sword, then I see why they made you the Princess's bodyguard. You got spirt, kid. We'll miss you here, and I'll miss betting on you." The young soldier shook his hand with a firm grip before seeing him off. "You'll probably want to take care of that nose before you go back to work, unless you want the Princess scolding you," he shouted.

"Thanks. I will." Link turned back around, with a smile on his bloody mouth. He found a water basin to clean away the blood that covered his nose, touching the tender skin on his cheek. When he was sure he removed all of the blood, he pulled his shirt back over his head, and slung his tunic over his shoulder, before walking back to his barrack, and collapsing into the bed. He was exhausted from his long travel, and exhilarating fight, but he was grateful for the welcomed distraction from the solitude of his mind. He thought again on the way Zelda acted earlier that morning. She was quiet, sad even, but he could not allow himself to ask why, or to offer comfort her. He recalled the glowing light on her hand when she prayed at the Spring of Courage, and how he unexplainedly found himself staring in awe, knee deep in the water. _I've never seen anything like it. I never doubted the stories, but seeing in person is a whole other thing._ His mind trailed off to recalling their afternoon of report writing, happy with how things went. During that time, he seemed to have found a healthy balance between being friendly and helpful, without being _too_ personal, or presumptuous. _Now if only I can keep it that way. I can help her, and fulfil my duty, without leading her on._ It was the first time that he felt at peace with their predicament, confident that he could control his own emotion, and not allow himself to do or say something foolish. _I just pray that she doesn't put me in a compromising position again._ He turned over in his bed, gently caressing his cheek. _Goddess I hope this doesn't bruise or swell. That's one thing I won't be able to hide from her._ Sleep finally took him, and he passed back into the nightmares that ravaged his mind in the late hours of the night. The figures, the star-consuming darkness, the blinding light, and the voice that called him 'Master,' were all there, as he had grown to know them.

Zelda awoke to the sounds of the busy camp. Soldiers were hard at work, fulfilling their morning duties, some admittedly drowsier than the others, or in some cases, suffering from painful headaches from drinking too much the night before. She dressed herself back into her travel garments, and set out to find Link, and eat breakfast. She found that breakfast was already served on the table in Commander Graysen's office, being a warm bowl of oatmeal, and other oddities to snack on. It was a simple of hearty meal, perfect for starting a long day of travel. _I'll find Link first, and see if he has eaten yet. Maybe we can eat together._ She swung the front door open, and to her surprise found that Link was already dressed and outside, leaning against the wooden pillar that supported the porches roof. He peered over his shoulder, seeing that it was the Princess, and spun around, bowing politely, however she noted that he stood at a peculiar angle, not facing her head on.

"Good morning, my lady."

"Good morning, Link. How long have you been up and waiting?"

"Not very long, my lady. I did not want to wake you until it was necessary."

"I see. You may join me for breakfast in the office, and then we can prepare the horses, and leave." She beckoned him with a dainty hand and gentle smile.

"Thank you, but I have already eaten, my lady, and the horses and I are ready whenever you are. We still have plenty of time, of course, so don't worry about being late."

"Oh…" She admittedly was sad that he would not join her for breakfast, and failed to withhold the emotion in her tone.

"Have I done wrong, my lady?" he asked with a concerned brow.

"No. Of course not. I just thought that we would eat together before we left, but I appreciate your sense of punctuality."

"Of course, my lady. I will be waiting out here, please take as much time as you need." Link bowed his head, maintaining his canted angle. Zelda craned her head to the side, when she glimpsed a strange discoloration on his cheekbone.

"What is that under your eye… Is that a bruise!?" She stepped forward, examining his cheek. He tried to turn, saying that it was nothing, but she insisted, grabbing him by the jaw and pulled his head straight towards her. She eyed the swollen patch of skin, which had grown a lightly tinted yellow, with a small, but barely noticeable purple ring surrounding it. "Did you join that ridiculous fight club!?" She did not let go of his jaw, much to his sheer discomfort.

"Only for a few rounds my lady," he responded before sternly pulling away. He opened his mouth to continue, when a soldier that was walking by shouted:

"Hey, Golden Boy. One hell of a fight y–." The soldier cut his sentence short, when he realized the Princess stood in front of him. "Forgive me, my lady, I did not realize you were there." The soldier timidly bowed. The Princess payed no attention to the soldier, and simply waved him away. She examined the swelling bruise, as Link expected an incoming barrage of reprimands.

"Did you at least win?"

"Wha ̶ Yes, my lady."

Zelda sighed grinning with squinted eyes. "I can't say I approve of your method to do so, but at least your earning your respect among the men here."

"You're not angry, my lady?" he asked in disbelief.

"No. However, I would suggest you find a better way to pass time. Instead of letting people bruise your fair face."

Link tightened his jaw, before nodding. "As you command, my lady."

Zelda returned to the office, quickly finishing her meal before returning to Link, who still stood vigilantly on the porch. Link retrieved the saddled horse from the stable, and helped his Princess up onto her white steed, before mounting Zeno. Commander Graysen made his timely appearance, to see the Princess off.

"Goodbye, my lady. May your travels stay safe." He bowed dutifully.

"Thank you, Commander. Best of luck here." Zelda smiled politely down on the elderly Commander. Link dipped his head in a gesture of respect, offering a quiet 'Commander,' to which Commander Graysen ignored entirely. Link withheld any sign of indignation, and accepted the Commanders sly insult with bound lips and unbroken expression. At Zelda's bidding, they set out on the western road, heading north over Kakariko Bridge, and followed the gravel road. Their visit to Kakariko would be the shortest trip of their overall journey, which in turn allowed them to arrive at the entrance of the village much earlier than they had originally anticipated. Zelda had visited the village only once before, when she was much younger, with her mother and father. They had come to pay their respects to the recently deceased leader of the Shiekah tribe, Impa the wise. Impa, being of Shiekah descent, lived to be nearly two hundred years old, which was considered very old _,_ even compared to the average life expectancy among the tribe of that era, however is was rumored that their ancient ancestors lived for much longer. Her mother explained that Impa was not as lucky as her and her father, to be blessed with the chance to halt all ageing during the one-hundred years that Calamity Ganon was locked away in the confines of Hyrule Castle. Zelda would often have to remind herself of the fact that both of her parents were now well over one-hundred and forty, a reality that never seemed to truly sink in.

The village was a tranquil setting, complete with elegantly domed thatched homes, a running river, and small farms, littered with bountiful vegetables. The white-haired inhabitants were among the kindest and most welcoming people in the land of Hyrule, even to complete strangers, as long as they came in peace and with a good heart. The village had grown and expanded under the new founded safety of the Hyrulean kingdom, and the dissolution of the infamous Yiga Clan, which was now nothing more than ragtag groups of unorganized bandits. Due to the enclosure-like valley the village was placed in, sustaining a growing population became a difficult task to breach, eventually leading to a vast majority of tribe members setting out and forming sister-villages to the east and west. The second largest village was in the Rabia Plains to the east, being named Raberiko Village.

A large, temple like building, surrounded by white cascading waterfalls, served as the center piece of Kakariko Village, being the home and office of the tribes appointed leader. Under the carful tutelage and guidance of Impa, before she passed, Paya, her niece, was chosen to take her place as the leader of the Sheikah, which was a role that she at first timidly, but dutifully fulfilled. Being a rather bashful young woman many years prior, it brought the Royal Family great joy in seeing her grow and bloom into the kind and confident leader that served her people with the utmost dedication and conviction. Zelda and her Appointed Knight arrived at the foot of the long wooden staircase that led up to the central building of Kakariko, being kindly greeted by two guards.

"Welcome, dear Princess," Paya said in a graceful and kind voice, descending the stairs. "You have grown quite a bit since we last saw each other. How much you look like your beautiful mother."

"Thank you, Paya. Your words are too kind." Zelda dismounted her horse, and walked forward, placing her hands in Paya's outstretched palms, curtsying formally with a generous smile. Paya bowed her slender head, the air of growing wisdom and age on her face, slight wrinkles forming in the bends of her large eyes. Paya soon turned her attention to Link, who was now holding on to the reins of their horses, awaiting the Princess's command.

"I have heard many things about you, fair knight. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you, Paya." Link paused, unsure of what else he should add. He bowed kindly, and smiled. Paya returned a polite smile, before continuing.

"Come, join me inside Princess. I will have Jen take care of the horses for you." With a nod of her head, one of the guards stepped forward and took the reins from Link, leading their horses away. The trio ascended the wooden staircase as the cool mist of the waterfalls blew past them. When they reached the top, Link tarried behind, pausing before the threshold, awaiting Zelda's command. She glanced over her shoulder, and silently gestured for him to enter. He stepped in, and after carefully scanning the large open room for any potential threats, he took his post near the door. Paya observed his ridged machine-like movements with a calculated eye, slightly tilting her head, before returning her gaze to the Princess after kneeling on a pillowed dais across from her.

"Your dear mother sent me word of your visit, explaining that you have begun visiting the Springs of the Goddess. How fare your endeavors?"

Zelda knelt on a soft pillow in front of the regal Sheikah woman, answering: "So far, it has gone well. For a while I was worried that we would not be able to reach the Spring of Courage, due to Damel Forest being overrun with monsters. However, we were lucky enough to have Link, who cleared it out a few months prior."

Paya's dark eyes shifted to the silent knight in the back. "If that is true, then I see why your father appointed him, despite his age." Link maintained his impassive expression, but dipped his head in soundless thanks. "You share the King's first name. Seems like a fitting coincidence…"

Seeing that he was not going to elaborate on the matter, Zelda spoke on his behalf. "Yes. He explained that his mother wished that he would be named after the ancient green clad heroes of old…" Link grew uncomfortable under their heavy gaze, as they spoke in tones that indicated that they knew something more than he did, but did not express it. His breathing returned to normal when they drew their eyes away.

"Have you come here to venture further on to Mount Lanayru?"

"Well, my mother advised against it, saying that we should take it slow, so that we might grow more comfortable with the heavy traveling. However, I feel more than confident enough to venture on, but I have not made that decision yet."

Paya smiled kindly, clasping her hands together in her lap. "If you do plan to visit the mountain, I would suggest you bring warm clothes. Even though it is late summer, the mountain is unusually cold all year round. Snow still rests on its peak, but the majority of the road is clear, and fit for travel, if you don't mind the chill."

The Princess smiled confidently, adjusting her riding jacket. "Thank you for your wise counsel, Paya. I will add it to my list of considerations." She turned on her seat, and looked back over at Link. "How do you feel about it, Link? I would like to hear your opinion on the matter, since I'll be dragging you along."

"I have no issue with it, my lady, however I would suggest that we find you a more suitable dress to wear for your prayer, due to the cold."

"Fair point," Zelda responded, pondering the idea.

"I can speak to the seamstress in the village, I'm sure she has something to offer."

"Thank you Paya!" Zelda's voice grew cheery, as a polite smile stretched across her lips. "You know, I think that we will venture to Mount Lanayru. It would make sense, since we are already so close by, it would be a wasted opportunity to not go. As long as you are comfortable with it, Link."

"Of course, my lady."

"Very well then, we may leave after lunch!"

"I will have food prepared for us immediately, dear Princess." Paya stepped down from her platform, and elegantly strode to the room above them, bringing down a young Sheikah boy, instructing him to go and fetch a hot meal for their guests.

The stubby nosed child smiled, saying: "yes mother," and skipped to the front door. The boy passed by the Princess, not stopping, but smiling. "Hello Princess!" He stopped in front of the door, intently gazing at Link. "Is that a real sword, Mr. Knight?"

Link knelt to his level, a sincere smile crossing his mouth. "Why yes, it is! It was given to me by my Captain, back in Hyrule Castle."

The boys grin stretched into an open mouth toothy smile. "Wow! Can I see it?"

"Maybe later, little lamb," Link replied in a hushed voice, patting him on the shoulder.

"Skylar, hurry along now." Paya watched as her endearing son left, with a gleaming adoration.

"He is such a sweet child. It brings me great pride to have such a kind-hearted boy."

"How old is he?" Zelda asked, over her shoulder with a similar expression of adoration, but not just for the young child.

Paya chuckled lightly. "Nine, but it's like he grows older by the minute."

"From my understanding, that's how all parents feel about their children."

"Yes. Time is a fickle thing…"

Paya and the Princess spoke for a while longer, until Skylar returned, bearing a platter of several bowls, primarily holding rice, steamed vegetables, and meat. Link left the two women to speak privately inside the open hall, to discuss diplomacy and politics alone, and took his bowl of food out onto the sun-beaten porch, under the mist of the waters. Skylar followed him, asking a never-ending barrage of questions about the Knights Order, and killing monsters. Link allowed the young boy a chance to hold his heavy sword, but he barely managing to keep it upright.

"How do you swing this heavy thing? It's almost as tall as I am."

"Well, you have to train, and build muscles. Otherwise you won't be very effective on the battlefield."

"Have you ever been in a battle, Mr. Link?" Skylar asked, as he handed back his sword.

"Of sorts. Although, between me and you, it was more of a hunt than a battle."

"What's the difference?"

Link chuckled a little before answering. "Not much, I suppose." They sat on the porch for an hour or so, when Paya and Zelda exited through the double doors, and walked into the village. Link handed his empty bowl to Skylar, promising that they would talk more later, and silently fell in behind his Princess. They walked to one of the many dome roofed buildings of the village that served as a tailor's shop. Paya and Zelda entered, and Link stood guard outside. After quite some time, they reemerged, however Zelda was now dressed in traditional Sheikah robes. The robes were predominantly white, with thin red accents near the seams, and around her waist was tied a simple blue sash. The cloth that is was made from was sturdy and warm, and so they were confident that it would keep her warm while they climbed the mountain. Before they left, Link studied a map of the local area, so that he could plot their course effectively, as he had not anticipated this part of their trip. When he was confident in their path, the duo set out on their horses, climbing a winding path up the north-eastern mountainside. They passed a Sheikah shrine as they reached the first turn back of the dirt path. The road by this time was well travelled, as it was the main highway between the Raberiko and Kakariko Villages. Inside a heavily wooded area of the highway was the fabled fairy fountain of Kakariko, however they did not have time to stop and visit the eccentric being that lived within. They ran into a number of Sheikah tribe members who were traveling between villages, until they took the east fork of Lanayru road. It was at that point the path became devoid of friendly faces, eventually leading to a canyon of fallen stone. The gravel road transitioned into a broken paved highway, surrounded by towering walls of ruin. Link scanned the many tiers of stone, looking for any unsavory, or potentially dangerous threats. The Lanayru Promenade had become flooded with cool waters from the melted snow of the mountains, resulting in a slippery and wet adventure for the Princess and her Knight. At the lowest point of the highway, several inches of water sat stubbornly on the paved surface, but it was not a source of any major concern for the determined travelers. The noise that came from the hooves of their horses reverberated across the desolate canyon, the only other sound being noteworthy was the low rumble of the nearby waterfall. In the distance, they could see a decrepit stone archway that served as the East Gate of Lanayru Road. It was not long until they passed under its gaping threshold, and they found themselves in an open meadow of white aspen trees. At the far end of the meadow was the foot of the mountain, and the end of the Lanayru road. A tall stone ledge stood as their only obstacle, but luckily, a small ramp had been excavated through it, allowing for their horses ascend the ridge.

As Paya had warned, the air of the mountain grew colder, and a chill breeze nipped at their noses. While there was no snow on their path, the peak of Mount Lanayru was covered in bright white snow that shone under the warm rays of the sun.

"There it is. It shouldn't that difficult of a climb, since it is summer, even if it is coming to an end soon." Zelda looked to her companion, who nodded encouragingly. They spurred their horses into a brisk pace, as they climbed the circling path of the mountain, a pack of Winter Wolves being the only signs of life. The higher they climbed, the colder it became, and the more snow that sat unyieldingly on the mountain. Zelda buried her flush cheeks in the collar of her robes to warm them, envious of how little Link seemed to be affected by the cold, or at least little she _thought_ he was affected by it. His cheeks also grew red, but he did not draw his cloak and hood about him, nor did he shudder in the wind. She examined his saddle bag, and saw that he had tied a small bundle of fire wood to his bag.

"It was smart of you to bring that," Zelda said through the wind.

"Bring what, my lady?"

"The firewood. We'll need it."

Link nodded, before shifting in his saddle and looked ahead. The wind kicked up more as they reached the summit of the mountain, which was almost entirely covered in snow. The Spring of Wisdom was identical to the Spring of Courage in Damel Forest, behind it sat yet another deactivated shrine. They dismounted their horses and Link set about starting a warm fire, while Zelda removed her boots and thin socks, and rolled the loose ends of her pants up, hoping to keep as much as she could dry. After that she donned her golden jewelry, and untied her hair. When Link had the fire burning confidently, Zelda stepped into the icy cold water, drawing out all warmth in her toes. She winced at the cold, but trudged forward, eventually reaching the warmer water that poured from the center. She closed her eyes, and once again called forth the power within her core, feeling out the statue and air with her mind. This time she prayed aloud.

"Hylia, I pray that you hear me. I ask that you continue to bless me with knowledge and wisdom to further awake the power given to me as birthright. I plea that you look favorably down on my conviction and dedication, and offer me strength and forbearance. I pray for the safety of my people, that they might preserve through the long winters, and the cold nights, to once again rise up in the spring and summer, and plant their crops, and harvest their works. May you smile down upon me."

She stood in utter silence, awaiting a response for the better part of fifteen minutes, continuing to pray in her head. Like the first spring she visited, she heard no reply, and saw no sign. None that she could decipher, at least. She opened her eyes, and held her hand out in front of her, examining the golden light on her hand. She turned, and look at Link, who was crouched by the fire, staring at the symbol on her hand, the golden light flashing in his bright eyes. His eyebrows furrowed, and his head tilted absentmindedly, until he snapped out of his trance-like state, and stood. He offered his hand out, and he pulled her up from the thigh deep water then ushered her over to the fire, as she shivered in the cold wind. Goosebumps formed on her legs, and her feet grew pale, as she rubbed them with her hands, trying to warm and dry them. A great gust of wind drifted through, sending the ashen coals into the air, and blew out the fire. Link jumped into action, trying to rekindle the fire, but failed to relight it under the oppressive wind. After several more failed attempts, he gave up and instead removed his wool cloak and stooped down to the Princess, wrapping her feet in it.

"No, I–I'll b ̶ be fine," she said through her chattering teeth. He ignored her words, and continued to wrap her feet, before returning to the dead fire. The wind only grew worse with time, flapping their hair and loose clothing violently in the air, making it impossible for Zelda to warm herself.

"We need to go. It won't get any better here," Link said, after several minutes, bringing Zelda's boots and socks over to her. She shivered as she pulled them over her feet, as they barely offered any solace from the cold. Link helped her stand up, and he wrapped his cloak about her, tying it around her neck, and pulling the hood over her head. Zelda's heart raced when he tucked her under his left arm, as he vigorously rubbed her shoulder, trying to warm her. When a strengthened torrent of wind struck her side, she instinctively buried her face into his chest, reveling in its warmth, hearing his heart beat quicker than her own. He led her to her horse, and had to practically lift her up onto the saddle. She tried to thank him through her quivering voice, but her words fell short and broken. He mounted his horse and grabbed her reins in his free hand. "I'll steer for you, just keep the cloak closed around yourself." Zelda nodded to his instruction, noting that he did not end his sentences with 'my lady.' It was a welcomed change, as his voice sounded so personal, and familiar. She could feel her heart beat jump in a way it had not done in a long time, serving a nice distraction from the bitter cold. They trotted forward, and Zelda grabbed onto the horn of her saddle to better stabilize herself in her shivering state. Not once did Link falter under the wind, as he towed her along, trotting down the mountain to the warmer field below. The wind died off once they were below the tree line, and the warmth slowly returned to her toes and fingers. She retook her own reins, hoping the extra movement would continue to warm her further. Her lips had turned blue, and the wet part of her robes had frozen, making it her legs stiff. Link kept an incredibly close eye on her, examining her robes and darkened lips.

"I'll start a new fire when we get a little lower. We need to get you warmed up before we go any further." Link's face was full of concern for his Princess.

"Okay," she replied in a raspy voice. They ventured on until they were surrounded by tall pine trees, and Link helped her dismount, instructing her to keep moving, so that she could warm up quicker. She gathered the cloak in her hands, wrapping it around her, and pulled it over her nose as she followed Link around while he gathered more fire wood. With well-practiced efficiency, he started a large fire with his striking flint, and urged her to sit down. She stretched her hands out, grimacing at the pain of the hot fire close to her chilled fingers, but she persevered through the pain.

"We should have brought blankets… Or elixers… Anything really." Link's voice was hoarse, tinged with self-frustration.

Zelda responded in a frail voice. "I guess mother was right about waiting… But then again, had we not done it now, we would have had to wait until next summer." Link crouched beside her, coaxing the fire with a thin branch.

"At least it's over." He absentmindedly paused, before remembering his manners, and added: "My lady."

"No, it's okay. Link, while we're out here you don't have to call me 'my lady.' Don't worry, it'll stay just between us." A wry grin stretched across her blue lips.

"I would not want to be presumptuous, my lady." He doubled his effort on remaining stern and expressionless.

"I believe that is becoming your new favorite sentence. 'I would not want to be presumptuous,'" she mocked in a jestingly deep voice, mimicking his pattern of speech. Seeing that he would not budge, she sighed and skootched closer to the fire, finally regaining some warmth and color. "Well I can't force you." She looked over at him again. "But at any rate, thank you. For keeping me warm."

"Of course, my lady. It is my duty." He sat down next to her, crossing his legs, and stroked his chin, which was now prickly with golden facial hair. He stared into the depths of the flames, lost in thought, until he suddenly felt Zelda cozy up next to him. He pulled away, denying the idea of physical intimacy.

"I'm sorry. It's just that we will be here all night if I don't warm up quick. Trust me." Zelda tried to sound formal, but knew that Link was unconvinced. Regardless, he reluctantly agreed, awkwardly placing his arm over her back, holding onto her shoulder, as she drew herself in. His back was stiff as a board at first, but he eventually eased up a little, prompting her to lean in on him entirely.

"Are – you sure about…"

"Yes," she interrupted, stubbornly insisting. "We have to do what is necessary, right? Don't give it a second thought." Deep down she knew it was only partial truth, but she was not about to let the opportunity pass. Her heart beat with passion, and she felt safe tucked under his arm with her cheek against his side. With every one of his breathes, her head bobbed back and forth, following the rises, and falls of his chest. She could faintly hear his heartbeat again, feeling it beat faster with every shift of her head. The late evening sun began to make its descent toward the horizon, and Link stirred her.

"My lady, we should go. The sun won't be out for much longer."

She wanted nothing more than to stay there, cooped up in his arm, being her first chance of intimacy with him since they were fifteen. Unenthusiastically she finally agreed, nearly falling over when he jolted up, happy to be out of the compromising situation. Although he would never admit it, having her in his arms brought him more joy than he had felt in a long time, but the feeling turned to ash when with every fiber in his body he shunned and scorned his moment of weak will, humiliated by his supposed lack of dignity. With a resurged resolve to maintain his conviction, he drove his fiery emotions into the depth of his heart and began to stomp out the flames, just as he kicked dirt onto the campfire. They remounted their horses and set out west, to return to Kakariko Village.

It was not long until they reached the steep ledge that dropped into the aspen meadow below. To their surprise however a tall pine tree had fallen over, and covered the ramp that lead down into the meadow. They dismounted to examine the tree closer, seeing if it could be easily moved. Link walked down the length of the tree, eventually happening upon the stump. The state of the stump sent up bright red warning flags in head; the tree had not fallen, it was cut down intentionally to block the path.

"Princess! Get back on your horse," he barked, but it was too late. From both sides of the dirt path emerged a group of bandits, who were garbed in travel gear and warm fur. Many of them wore leather doublets, or other similar form of light armor, while others wore strange tattered shirts of rich blacks and reds under their travel wear. Link was outnumbered five to one.

"Well gentlemen. Looks like we've caught us a nice little opportunity for a ransom." A white-haired man approached, spinning a small dagger in his hand. On his forehead was a scar that bore resemblance to the Shiekah crest, however, it was turned upside down. Link stepped in front of the Princess, grasping the hilt of his sword in his hand.

"Turn back now, and we can end this peacefully." Link knew his threat would fall idly on their ears, but he thought he would try.

"I could say the same to you, young knight. You're not really what we want. It's the girl were after. I'm glad to see my informants were correct. Having a princess roam around in our parts is an… _economic_ opportunity. Leave her now, and we will let you live." The man arrogantly stepped forward, overconfidently strolling about with a childish grin. Link remained silent, and his brows gathered. The head bandit laughed cockily. "I figured as much… Come on now, why waste your life for this little brat? Don't you grow weary of serving her every selfish whim?" Link wrapped his fingers around the handle, drawing the sword out a few inches, flashing its bright steel in the light.

"Oh, I see. Maybe you do enjoy it. Or maybe you fancy her." The head bandit craned his neck to the side, lustfully glancing at the Princess. "Such a pretty face, I'm not surprised. Tsk tsk tsk, you sly dog." The bandit grinned mischievously. "I must ask, have you bedded her yet? What's it like, huh? I heard rumors that royalty is always the wildest in the bedroom." Link drew his sword from its sheath, grasping it with both hands, as his eyebrows glared down so sharply that his eyes could barely be seen. One of the bandits wielding a bow drew back an arrow, and took aim at Link, but the head bandit held his hand out, gesturing for his archer to stand down. "Ah! Looks like I've made the sly dog mad. Oh, don't worry, your secret is safe with me. I won't judge you. In fact, I may also have to enjoy the… merchandise, before we sell it back. At full price, of course." Seeing that Link did not move a muscle, the head bandit signaled for two of his men to advance on them. "Don't hurt the girl. I need her in one piece."

The two ruffians drew their blades, one bearing a sickle, and the other, a broadsword. Faster than he could block, Link attacked the broadsword wielder, drawing his blade across his chest, shearing through his thin leather vest. Foolishly, the sickle bandit wound his arm back, attempting to bear down on Link with a vertical strike, but Link caught the blade well above his head with his sword, and kicked the bandits stomach, disarming him, then drove his sword through his chest. The head bandit seemed impressed with the knight's efficiency, grinning before signaling for the archer to loose his arrow. Zelda cried out, instinctively forming a barrier with her golden power, and caught the arrow midflight, shattering it into pieces. Among the violent squabble, Link and the remaining bandits gawked at her with wide eyes and disbelief, and the horses reared and screeched in distress.

"Holy shit," shouted the archer in fear, before preparing to release another arrow, this time aiming at the Princess. Link bolted backwards, standing in front of her, but to his relief she caught the second arrow in a flash of bright light. The head bandit screamed at the archer.

"YOU IDIOT!" Without another word, he and the third bandit leapt forward, swinging their heavy blades at Link. With the grace of a true master swordsmen, Link side stepped and parried the third bandit, bringing his blade down onto his neck, then turned his full, unbridled anger onto the head bandit. Seeing that he could never hope to beat the young warrior, the head bandit used some sort of cursed sorcery, and disappeared in a flash of red and black smoke, before reappearing atop the Princess's white stallion. Again, the archer fired his arrows down on the young knight, but each one was confidently blocked by Zelda. The head bandit kicked her horse viciously, sending it into a blistering sprint. Zelda brought her hand up to fire out a bolt of energy, but hesitated in the critical moment, crippled by the fear of taking another's life. They watched as the head bandit ran away on her horse, picking up the sole survivor of his ragtag company, and disappeared into the woods. Link peered back at his Princess, staring at her with pure amazement.

"That was… What was that even?" His mouth hung wide open, and his blue eyes shone with child-like curiosity.

"It's the power my mother has been training me for years to master… But I must admit, I've never used it so… confidently before."

Link opened his mouth to respond, but furrowed his eyebrows, surging forward to grab his horse's reins before he bolted off. "Come on, my lady. We need to go!" After sheathing his sword, Link grabbed onto a flimsy branch of the fallen tree and pulled with all his might, slowly, and painfully dragging it to the side. He then leapt up onto Zeno, and held out his hand to his Princess, and pulled her up. He felt her delicate arms wrap around his abdomen, which sent a wave of excitement through him, much to his dismay.

"What will we do about Hansel?" Zelda asked fearfully.

"Don't worry about that right now. We just need to get you back to Kakariko." He spurred his horse into a gallop, steering him around the tree, and down the stone ramp. They raced through the aspen meadow, and through the Lanayru East Gate. Zelda delightedly rested her head against Link's back, and tightened her grip around his stomach as they surged forward at a full gallop.

They charged into Kakariko, being greeted Paya under the night sky, who immediately knew something was amiss.

"What happened!?" Paya shouted. Zelda opened her mouth to answer, but it was Link who spoke first with a strong and confident voice.

"We were attacked on the path from Mount Lanayru. A small group of bandits being led by a former Yiga Clansmen."

"Did any survive? Where is the Princess's horse!?" Paya stepped forward, helping the Princess dismount.

"Two survived. The leader, and an archer. I'm going back now to track them down." Link pulled on the reins of his horse, but Zelda stopped him.

"What!? No! You can't go alone, especially now! Its already dark out, and ̶ ." Link interrupted her.

"We don't have time, my lady. They are an endangerment to this village. They must be stopped." Zelda clamped her mouth shut, admittedly baffled by his tone of superiority.

Paya held Zelda under her motherly arm, looking up to Link. "Take Jen, and Takarn with you. They are brave warriors, and fast riders." The two guards nearby silently nodded to their leader, before sprinting off to the stables, to retrieve their horses.

"Link," Zelda began, grabbing onto his saddle. "Be careful." She untied the cloak around her neck, and returned it to Link.

A small grin touched his lips. "Yes, _my lady._ " He brought the tunic over his shoulders, and tied it around his neck with the small leather strings _._ With a nod, he steered his horse back to the winding road, and galloped forward, eventually being joined by his Sheikah warriors.

They watched as the trio left in a full sprint. "May the goddess keep them safe," Paya remarked, offering Zelda an encouraging glance.


	16. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

_Chapter sixteen, One Step Forward, Two Steps Back_

The cold air rushed past his ears, and his eyes watered from the harsh winds. His Sheikah companions, Jen and Takarn, rode in unison behind him, with short curved katanas at their hips, their snow-white hair tied behind their heads. The company passed under the East Gate of Lanayru, and galloped across the aspen meadow, making their way back up into the pine tree forest of the Lanayru mountain side. Link counted three dead bodies, past the fallen tree.

"This is where they attacked us." Link jumped down from his horse, surveying the tracks that led further up the mountain. "The leader and one other bandit took off this way on the Princess's horse. follow me."

"Yes sir," the Sheikah warriors replied. To his advantage, the soil in the surrounding area was soft, so the horseshoe shaped tracks were easy to see and follow. They weaved in between trees, riding at a fast canter, vigilantly scanning the forest for any signs of a bandit camp as they followed the trail up the west side of the mountain. Soon after seeing that the tracks grew shorter in gait, signaling that their prey had slowed their pace, the trio of warriors tied their horses off and proceeded on foot. They crept forward with cat-like stealth, taking cover behind the rocks and flora of the pine forest. It was pitched-black outside, and so spotting a dimly lit campfire in the distance was a simple task. The three spread out into a pronged approach, remaining within sight of each other, but maximizing their area of effect. In the flickering light of the campfire, Link spotted both the Yiga bandit, and his archer, along with four other warmly dressed bandits. They bustled and huffed around their camp, packing up tents and storing away their bounty, as the Yiga clansmen barked orders to the group, cursing their slow movements. From his back, Link pulled out his long bow, quietly pulling an arrow from the quiver tied around his waist, and knocking it onto the string.

"Hurry up, you mewling idiots! They could show up any minute now." Link scanned the camp further, spotting Hansel fighting his restrains, and wailing in distress. The Yiga clansmen strode over and struck the horse on the hindquarters with a thin branch, yelling at it to shut up. "You damn beast. We should've just killed you once we had gotten away." He dropped his whip, and pulled a dagger from the folds of his cloak, stepping towards the horse's head. He drew his arm back, preparing to drive the blade into the horse's neck, but before he could strike, Link stood up, pulled his arrow back, and fired a deadly bolt right into the Yiga's side. The Yiga screamed in pain and terror, ordering his men to find their assailants, before collapsing to nurture his wound.

Link discarded his bow, and drew his sword, charging into the camp. He knew it was a reckless move, choosing to fight with the sword, instead of picking them off with his bow, but he wanted to take as many alive as possible. Realistically, he knew that their chances of securing the bandits unharmed was unlikely, but he was determined to try anyways. His Sheikah companions surged forward along with him, attacking the left and right flanks, attempting to either draw blood, or disarm their battle-shocked opponents. He engaged in a fight with two of the bandits, killing one, and knocking the second unconscious with the pommel of his sword, while his comrades dueled separate enemies. The fierce archer unleashed a darting arrow that zoomed past Link, barely missing his left shoulder. He ducked behind a tree, waiting for a beat before he bolted out and charged the archer in a full sprint. The archer drew back and released a second arrow, which painfully glazed Link's right arm, cutting a long slash in his unarmored sleeve, but did not stick itself into his skin. With a vicious swing of his sword, the defenseless archer fell before Link, collapsing to the ground dead. The Sheikah warriors were successful in dispatching their oppontents, grouping up with Link in the center of the camp to deal with the Yiga clansmen. In a desperate attempt to kill the fair knight, the Yiga threw his thin dagger, which Link dodged with ease, as it was a pathetic throw. Still kneeling on the ground, bent over, and clutching the arrow lodged into his side, the Yiga scoured the ground for a weapon, only to be kicked down by Link's oppressive boot.

With a pained whimper, the Yiga begged for death, but Link was unsympathetic. "Just kill me! Don't keep me chained up like some wild animal." Without a change of expression, Link stepped forward, and broke the shaft of the arrow in the Yiga's side with his hand, shortening it to a manageable length. The Yiga cried in anguish, as they bound his hands and feet and slung him over the saddle of one their own horses, along with the other unconscious bandit. They left the dead behind, planning to return to clean up the mess later. Link attempted to soothe Hansel, as the frightened horse screeched and squealed in terror. He stroked its white mane, hushing it with a gentle tone, eventually calming it down to a controllable state.

"Hansel is too worked up to be towed. One of you grab the reins of their horse and the other throw the othe bandit onto Zeno's when we return. I will ride Hansel back, and hopefully calm him down." With cautious movement, Link untied Hansel from the tree, leaping up into the saddle, holding on tightly as Hansel kicked and reared wildly. "Shh. Hush Hansel. I'm right here for you. Calm down." He ran his hand down the horse's neck, soothing it into a more submissive state. When Hansel had calmed down enough to steer, they towed their prisoners back to their horses, and set out to return to Kakariko Village at a brisk pace. Link took the lead, riding the spooked Hansel, and behind him rode Takarn towing the Yiga bandit on a gray horse, followed by Jen, who towed the unconscious bandit slung over Zeno.

"Just let me die. Don't let these self-righteous bastards have the satisfaction of keeping me a prisoner until I rot away." The Yiga's words fell heavy and angry, as he winced in pain at every jolt of the saddle he was slung over.

"It's not my place to serve as an executioner," Link replied without turning his head, now riding side by side with the Yiga, as he fought to keep Hansel calm.

"Well you had no trouble killing the other men," the Yiga spat condescendingly. Link did not grace his statement with a response, knowing that no amount of reasoning would convince the wounded Yiga. "Don't talk much, do you pretty boy…? Heh. Guess not… Looks like they cut the balls off of you boy, if your content with parading around as that whore's little babysitter ̶ ," His sentence was cut short by Link's fist striking his jaw, nearly rendering him unconscious, as he spat out blood. "Ruffled your feather, have I? Come on then! Hit me again. Show me how much of a man you are! Show me you're not just her little errand boy just hoping to fu ̶ ," Link stuck him again. After a pained grunt, he continued. "Aw c'mon now! Don't take it so personally," the Yiga mocked. "So, who gave you that nice bruise on your cheek huh? Was it your beloved Princess? What, does she like to get feisty in bed?"

"Takarn. Gag him, if you would please."

A grin shot across the Sheikah's face, as he produced a strip of cloth from his saddlebag. "Yes sir." He stopped both horses before hopping down, shoving the cloth into the disgruntled Yiga's mouth, then tied it in a tight knot behind his head. The Yiga grunted and squirmed in protest, glaring at Link with a red face and glowered eyes.

Link leaned down to the Yiga from his horse and whispered. "You should be glad you are not under my jurisdiction. I would have removed your tongue, were it up to me." It was a bold statement that not even he was sure he meant, but he fumed with such anger that he could barely control himself. _Duty is duty. I can't let my emotions run so freely._ He scolded himself for giving in to his hatred, not that it was inherently unrighteous, but because he failed in maintaining his cool, allowing the Yiga's false accusations to anger him so easily. Link examined the Yiga's festering wound, noting the immense blood lose. "We need to stop here, and bind his wounds. Wouldn't want him to die and give him what he wants."

"Probably a good idea, sir. I have some supplies in my bag," Takarn replied. They paused on the dirt road, and set about mending the Yiga's wounds, as he writhed and resisted for the better part of a quarter hour. His whimpers were muffled by his gag, as they pulled the arrow head from his side, quickly patching it up with a fine gauss, and bound it. Link also took the time to wrap a small bandage around his arm, covering the blood-caked gash caused by the archer's arrow.

 _I'll have to get a new shirt in the morning._ He pulled his dark cloak over his shoulder, hiding the red stain and cut on his sleeve. The moon had already reached mid sky by the time they finished and were back on the road, and they still had an hour long walk back to Kakariko. With heavy and tired eyes, the fair knight and his Sheikah companions towed their prisoners through the Lanayru Promenade, desiring the soft embrace of a good meal, strong liquor, and a warm bed. The unconscious bandit groggily awoke, and began to fidget with his restrains, until Jen shouted at him to remain still, or receive another good hit on the head. The bandit relented, and simmered in misery in silence for the rest of the ride.

Hansel continued to fight Link the whole trip, clumsily tossing about when anything and everything darted across their path, or if the shadows moved suddenly. With a tender hand, he would soothe his distressed mount, gently steering it back to their path. He pulled back on the reins, stopping Hansel in the road so that his companions could catch back up. He leaned forward to Hansel's ear, whispering to him again. "You don't have to be afraid anymore, buddy. I'm right here for you. Besides, you need to be ready to go by tomorrow morning. Wouldn't want to disappoint our Princess, now would we?" _I would hate to disappoint her any more than I have already…_ His heart grew heavy, as he thought on all his past failures and weaknesses, the way his heart raced when she leaned against him and wrapped her arms around his waist; she said it was necessary, but he doubted it entirely. _Weak will. That's all there is to it. This is what happens when you open up, even a little bit! Give up one inch of ground and you give her hope, and lead her on._ He ground his teeth together. _Dishonest,_ he grunted. _Weak willed,_ he uttered, reaffirming his determination to crush all inclinations towards what he deemed unacceptable feelings. He did not want to so hard on himself, but he believed that it was the only way he could convince himself.

* * *

Zelda had watched as her young knight charged off into the night, two warriors at his side. She replayed his stern and commanding voice back over in her head. It was somehow a different quality than his usual dutiful tone. It bore such strength and resoluteness, such so that she could not help but listen to his every command. _He would make a fine leader. I bet he would command the finest battalion of men, if he were given the chance._ Paya had brought her to the second story bedroom of her home after a warm bath, providing her with a clean change of warm clothes, a hot mug of tea, and an extra blanket for her bed. Zelda sat impatiently at the small desk in her room, a quill in hand and a piece of blank parchment in front of her. Despite her several attempts to journal the day's events, she found it impossible to think straight, or to calm her mind. With every shift in the wind, or muffled noise of the outside village, she would pull her chin up from her propped-up arm and tilt an ear to the doorway. She sat alone in silence for hours, and her eyes grew heavier than lead, but she was determined to await Link's return.

"What are you still doing up, Princess?" Paya asked, carrying a small candle into the dim room.

"I'm waiting…"

"Princess, it could be hours until they return. You must get some rest, you have a long trip ahead of you." Paya ushered her to her bedside, encouraging her to lay down and rest.

"I'm fine. I don't mind staying up," Zelda tried to insist.

"Nonsense, Princess. You look like you fall asleep standing. Lay down and rest. I will wake you should anything happen." Zelda opened her mouth to protest, but Paya pushed a slender finger to her lips, shushing her, and sat her down on the bed side. "Get some rest, Princess. I'll have a room prepared for Link at the Inn, when he returns."

Zelda slumped into bed, closing her red eyes, lazily pulling the covers over her, and drifted into sleep almost immediately. Even in her sleep her mind ran rampant with fear for her knight.

Her vision was blurry when she finally opened her eyes again, listlessly blinking, and rubbed the morning haze away from her eyelids. She sat herself up, yawning and stretching. Her absent mind rushed back to her when she realized that it was morning, and Paya had not come to wake her. _Is he not back!? Did something happen!?_ She shot up from bed, pulling her boots over her feet, and urgently walked downstairs after briefly fixing her messy hair in the mirror. Paya and her son were sitting down for breakfast in the room below.

"Is he back yet?" she asked directly.

Paya craned her head up, surprised by Zelda's sudden entrance. "Yes. He, Takarn, and Jen are all safe. They brought back the Yiga, and one other bandit, and locked them away… Come, there is plenty of food for you. You must be starving."

"Where is he?" She curtly ignored Paya's invitation to breakfast.

"I'm not entirely sure, Princess. I had Ollie, the innkeeper, prepare a bed for him, at the Inn, but he did not go to bed immediately. He instead took your horse to the stables, after I talked with him. I spoke with Ollie again this morning, but he said that Link never showed up. You might try searching the stables."

Zelda thanked her, and briskly walked to the front door. "Wait. You should eat first," Paya insisted, but Zelda declined again, leaving through the double doors. The warm sun peaked over the tall, green pillar-like mountains of Kakariko Village, casting a jagged shadow on the town. At the foot of the stairs stood two Sheikah guards, one of them being Takarn, who had drowsy eyes. He was speaking intensely to two other Sheikahs; a young male, and a middle-aged female. They were not aware of the Princess's presence, and so they continued to speak intently. Zelda stopped and turned a curious ear.

"… Should have seen it. Before Jen and I even took down individual bandits he had already shot the Yiga, killed two bandits, and knocked another one unconscious. It was unlike anything I've ever seen…"

"Wha ̶ Oh! Good morning, Princess." The female Sheikah bowed politely after spotting Zelda in her peripheral.

"Good morning." She did not know the Sheikah woman's name, and so she settled on her curt greeting.

"The name's Volaria, my lady." The Sheikah added, before dipping her head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Volaria… Takarn, I hate to interrupt, but do you know where Link is?" She descended the stairs, sliding her hand down the guardrail.

"At the stables, I believe. I think he's been in there all night," he replied as he and the other male Sheikah bowed. Zelda nodded gratefully, not keen on asking anymore questions, or introducing herself to the other Sheikah, before pacing off towards the newly built stables of Kakariko. The barn doors stood wide open, and she did not see Link anywhere along the runway of stalls. Her feet dragged through the loose straw of the stable, as she walked from the entrance all the way to the end of the walkway, not seeing Link in any corner of the building, only finding his horse contently chewing on his breakfast in his stall, already saddled up and ready to go. She turned on her heal, tapping her foot.

 _Maybe he's at the Inn now._ With a wide gait, she headed to the exit of the stables, only to stop when she spotted Hansel in one of the stalls, peacefully kneeling down, his saddle was also already donned. _I must have looked past him in my urgency…_ She stepped in closer, peering over the wooden gate, when she realized that Hansel's head was laying in someone's lap. Rugged open hands slowly caressed the curve of his neck and muzzle. _Link!?_

Link was sitting on the soft straw with his legs crossed, with a remarkably clean undershirt that look Sheikah-made. His back and head were leaning against the wall of the stall, and his eyes were drawn closed, his head drooping lower to his right shoulder. Heavy bags hung beneath his closed eyelids, as he was clearly too exhausted to hear or see her arrival. On top of that there was also the dark bruise on his cheekbone that he received several days prior, which only added to the appearance of his miserable state. _Did he sleep at all last night!?_ As quietly as she could, Zelda opened the gate of the stall, stepping down into the thick hay and sawdust, causing a loud crunching noise beneath her foot. Hansel reared his head up, as if startled, and began to shift skittishly to a stand. Link's eyes shot open, and he jolted up, trying to coerce the spooked horse.

"Forgive me, my lady. I did not hear you enter the stable. I thought you would be asleep a while longer." He stumbled into a rushed bow, before wrapping his hands around Hansel's neck, soothing him again. "It's all right buddy. It's just your master," he whispered. She rushed to his side, placing her hand on her horse.

"Did you sleep at all, Link?" she asked with pity filled eyes and a sympathetically soft voice. His eyes were only red and veiny.

He hesitated for a moment. "Only a little, my lady…" His voice was hoarse and strained, significantly deeper than usual, and marked by the nasally sounds of a cold. However, what confused her the most is that he almost seemed ashamed of the fact that she found him in his vulnerable state, as he stiffened his back and forced his eyes open as if he were wide awake. "Hansel didn't sleep much either. I'm afraid the whole ordeal was a bit too much for his nerves, I couldn't keep him calm for very long."

"And so you stayed up all night just to give him company!? Why didn't you ask for help? I would have glad to help you care for him."

"Hansel wouldn't let anyone else near him, and I would never presume to ask you to stay up. You need your rest, my lady." There was a sincerity in his voice that made her heart flutter.

"And what, your rest is unimportant?" she scoffed, jokingly.

"Yes, my lady," he responded resolutely. She furrowed her brows, realizing he meant it. "But Hansel is better now. Still a little jumpy, but better."

"What about you? Link?" She peered up at him, noting how much older he seemed with the light stubble that was growing on his chin and jaw.

"What about me, my lady?"

She turned to face him head on. "Are you okay? You look like you could pass out right now."

"A little sleepiness never killed anyone, my lady. I am fine." He tried to sound cheery, but his voice was only rough and haggard, so deep in pitch that she could barely understand him, like the lowest chord of a stringed instrument being pressed down on too harshly by the musician's bow. "The horses are ready when you are."

"What? Link we can't leave yet, you need rest and food. You sound awful." She was dumbfounded by the extent he was willing to go to try to prove that he was an unfeeling machine.

"Truly, my lady, I am fine. I ate earlier, and I have gone much longer with less sleep, and this," he pointed to his throat. "This is only a simple cold."

"Link, don't be ridiculous. What are you trying to prove?" She could feel her frustration returning, but she quickly tried to drive it away.

He cleared his congested throat. "Nothing, my lady. I only wish to fulfill my duty to the full extent." He shifted, stiffening his back further, holding his closed fists at his side as if he were standing at attention.

"And how do you plan to protect me if you arev barely awake enough to stand, and falling ill? How can I be sure that you are capable of fighting off more potential enemies?" Link was stunted, trying to think of some far-stretching excuse, but only stood silent, trapped in the corner by her logic.

After an awkward pause, he continued. "Please, I would not want to make you late on my behalf, my lady. I will be fine, I promise."

"Late for what? The Queen did not specify when we had to be back, she only gave us an estimated time frame. There are somethings we cannot control Link, don't be so hard on yourself. We can rest for the day, and enjoy Kakariko some more, how about that?" Link began to protest again, before she cut him off, sternly saying: "Don't make me order you, Link." He clamped his jaw shut and only dipped his head. "Now come and let's get you some food, and something warm to drink." She left the stall, waiting for him to follow.

"I already ate, my lady," he said plainly.

"And what exactly did you eat?" she asked skeptically.

He hesitated to answer, taking note of her skepticism. "A carrot. One of the farmers gave it to me when he was feeding his horse."

"So, you barely got any sleep, fell prey to a terrible cold, and ate a _single_ carrot, and you claim that you are full and ready to go travel across half of Hyrule?" A small grin reached across her face, the frustration she felt earlier had dissipated, as his statement was to ridiculous to take seriously.

"Yes, my lady. It was a very good carrot." His tone was so stern that she almost believed it for a moment.

"I don't buy it for one second," she said defiantly, contradictory to her brief moment of belief. She meant for it to be a lighthearted remark, smiling humorously, but Link's expression was completely unchanged and emotionless. _I hope that look is just because he is tired… he seems upset. More so than usual._ "It was just a joke, Link," she tried to reassure, trying to lighten his mood. Again, his face was unchanged, but he dipped his head in a polite gesture. "Well, let's be off."

"Yes, my lady. But I must first remove the horse's saddles. I can walk you back to Paya's home, then I'll quickly come back here and remove their saddles." His voice cut out on the last sentence, struggling to push past his worsening cold, holding back his coughs, resulting in a ghostly whisper.

"No need, I'll help you!" He opened his mouth to make another excuse, but she glanced at him in a commanding squint, and he relented. She closely followed his instructions on unbuckling Hansel's saddle, and insisted that she try carrying it over to its stand. He squirmed and fidgeted in discomfort, watching her in his forced inactivity as she carried the saddle in the bends of her arms, struggling to get the stirrups and various straps up and over the stand. Link broke from his post, and rushed over, helping her pull the saddle onto its mount before she could even object. Before she could begin to unsaddle Zeno, Link removed his saddle with speed and efficiency and squared it away. Link checked on Hansel one last time, giving him an encouraging stroke of the mane before gesturing that he was ready to go. Zelda began to walk, beckoning for him to walk beside her, but he remained a step and a half back. Even when she slowed, he slowed. He was like her shadow. If it were at a public event, or if she was walking with some 'higherup' she would have understood, but she was perplexed that he would revert back to his almost apprehensive way of trailing her when it was just them two.

 _I wonder if he's upset about yesterday. The way I made him hold me, to warm up… Looking back now I realize how compromising that must have been for him._ She felt a tinge of guilt, but she could not press the sheer joy she felt under his wing away. _How much longer to I have whittle away at his hard exterior?_

When they returned to Paya and her son, they both greeted them with polite smiles and kind bows. "I see you have pulled the bear from its den before his hibernation was done," Paya remarked with squinted eyes, examining his horrendously haggard face.

Zelda glanced back at Link, who stood a little further back, fists at his side, with a stiff back and pale face. "It took a lot of reasoning to convince him that we needed to stay." An amused grin stretched across her face.

Paya laughed a little. "Just look at the poor boy. He seems like could sleep for a century. Are you feeling all right, Link?"

As his voice had done before, he tried to speak, but only a winded whisper came out and he had to clear his throat before he could speak again. "I'm fine," he finally managed to rasp.

"Doesn't sound like it." Paya turned to her son. "Skylar, would you mind running to Trissa's shop, and see if she has anything that could help Link's voice." The young boy nodded and ran off out through the front doors, intent on completing a successful quest to help his new knight-friend. "Come, sit down and eat! I have some warm tea you may drink." Zelda readily knelt at the table, admittedly famished. She looked up to Link, who still stood apprehensively. Once again, his expression made his silent displeasure known about ' _intruding_ ' on the Princess's meal. With a soundless gesture, she beckoned for him to sit, regardless if he thought it was improper or not. He nervously fidgeted before he finally knelt down sorely, leaning on one arm in particularly. His eyes blinked listlessly, as exhaustion overtook his body, and his shoulders sank pathetically. It had been well over twenty-eight hours since he last slept, and nearly half that time since he had eaten a real meal.

"How's your arm?" Paya asked as she helped him pour a small cup of steaming tea, and offering him a bowl of food. Zelda shot a concerned glance look at Link.

 _We've been through this already with MiarindÍl, why is he still hiding these things from me? What happened to his arm?_

"I honestly forgot about it until now." He returned a knowing glance to his Princess, as if he was apologizing.

"Would you like for me to take a look at it? It might be a potential cause for your illness." With increasingly fatigued eyes he shook his head, signaling that it could wait for after breakfast. He proceeded to chew his food thoroughly, downing it with small sips of tea, closing his eyes as he did so. Zelda hoped that the food and tea would help bolster his energy and make him feel better, but all through breakfast he grew increasingly faded, and faint.

"So what happened exactly? Last night?" Zelda posed it as an open question, but assumed that Link would not be the main source of answers, and in his current state she was okay with letting him rest his voice.

Paya shifted into a more comfortable position before forming her report. "Well. They tracked down the Yiga leader, and raided their camp. Among the ones Link killed much earlier, they took down four more bandits, and managed to secure one unconscious Hylian bandit, and the Yiga leader."

"Where are they now? The Hylian and the former Yiga?"

"They are locked away in Raberiko Village to the east. I have not decided on what to do with them yet. At any rate, we are incredibly grateful for Link's service. He has neutralized a real threat for my people." Link nodded, to strained and tired to respond properly.

"And what happened to your arm, Link?" Zelda finally asked.

He cleared his throat, before saying in a slow gravelly voice: "The archer glanced it. Nothing serious, my- _cough_ lady- _cough cough_." His eye watered as he tried to regain his composure.

Paya interject after his brief statement. "I have reason for concern however. Last I saw the wound, it was festering rather quickly. I fear that he may have dipped the arrow in some kind of poison. That, or his wound has just become infected abnormally quick."

"Luckily, I don't really notice it very much," he added curtly and throaty after finishing the last bite from his bowl, eyes drifting closed.

Zelda leaned forward slightly, tilting her head in concern. "Well it certainly looks like you can feel its side effects. Do you have a temperature?" She leaned across the table and extended her hand out, to feel his pale forehead. He drew back a little, surprised by her sudden advance, but after she offered a polite and well-meaning smile, and he allowed her to feel his skin. "Goddess. Your head is like Death Mountain. Paya I think he might need more than cough elixirs."

Link looked like he was about to burst at the seams with discomfort as the two women prodded over him, despite him insisting that he was all right. Of all the horrible things he could have imagined would happen to him on his trip, this was the one thing he had not prepared for; being so closely examined like an injured pet. Growing restless, he stood from the table. "With your permission, my lady, I will excuse myself. I would hate to pass on any fever or sickness I may have." His head wobbled and pounded as he stood, already walking to the door.

Paya answered first, speaking for the Princess's mind. "No Link, you must stay here, I need to look over your wound, to ensure it is not getting worse."

"I would not wish to be presumptuous, I can search out a physician on my own."

"Link, don't be ridiculous," Zelda started.

Paya stood up, and beckoned him over. "I am the only person even qualified to fill that role for many miles, young knight. Come with me, if you would." Link fidgeted slightly, before accepting that there was no getting out of it, and so Zelda watched as he once again, forced the façade of emotionlessness over himself, and followed the Shiekah leader. Paya led him to the side of the room, drawing out a water basin from a cupboard, and poured clean water into it, and had him sit down on a short stool. She instructed him to roll his sleeve up to reveal the darkly stained bandage wrapped around his arm. She began to undress the wound, and from her disdained expression, Zelda could tell that the wound had grown worse. It was festering, and infectious puss began to form.

Link carefully eyed both Paya and the Princess, before asking: "Is there a better place to do this? I'm sure the Princess does not need to see this."

Paya ignored his request. "Princess, there are fresh bandages in that cabinet over in the corner. Would you please grab them for me?" Link continued to squirm in discomfort, but not because of the wound. Zelda knew that it was most likely torture for him to have people show him such close attention, especially from her, but she hoped that maybe it would prove to him that she was willing to always help him, that he could trust her. She shadowed Paya, fetching any and everything she requested, helping her tend to Link's wound. "They must have used poison. This is no ordinary wound. Normal Infections do not grow this quick."

"Will he be all right?" Zelda asked, shining her sympathetic eyes towards Link, causing him to shy away.

"I believe so. His body seems to be trying to fight the infection off, which is why he has such a high fever." Paya redressed his wound, after cleaning it, and pouring some kind of medicinal liquid onto it. "Link I think it's about time you get some sleep. You need it. Desperately." Link nodded, barely keeping his eyes open as he stood and began to saunter to the front doors, with a slight bow. "Where are you going?" Paya asked amusedly.

"The Inn," he grunted, barely getting the words out.

"I doubt Ollie kept a spot open for you at the Inn, since you never showed. You can rest in Skylar's bed for the time being."

"I will be fine. I can find a place to sleep," he insisted. "It would be rude of me to intrude."

"Link. Upstairs. Now." Paya's voice changed from its usually soft and airy tone, to an intimidating and commanding one. Zelda was in awe, seeing how the Sheikah woman bore such confidence, after only ever hearing about how shy she was as a younger woman.

Seeing that he would not win, he begrudgingly agreed. After removing the sword around his hip, and the leather pauldrons on his shoulders, he sank into the small bed upstairs, where his feet hung over the end, and passed into a deep fevered sleep almost immediately. Sweat beaded on his forehead as his body waged war on the poison that had penetrated his skin, and began to eat away at tissue.

"An interesting knight you have here, Princess," Paya stated as she closed the door. "He is borderline reckless with the way he treats himself."

Zelda sighed, nodding in agreeance. "I know. He wasn't always that way…" She trailed off, lost in thought before returning from her absentmindedness at Paya's response.

"For his sake, I pray he returns to _that_ way. Otherwise I fear he will get himself killed." Paya descended the stairs into the room below, gathering a small straw hat in her hand, and tied a silken sash around her waist. "I need to travel to Raberiko for a bit, to find some medicine that will help Link fight the poison off, and hopefully cool his fever. Ask Skylar for anything you might need, and make sure Link stays in bed for as long as you can keep him there. The less he moves around, the better, because the more he gets his blood flowing, the quicker the poison could travel."

"How else can I help him?" she asked, following Paya to the doorway. The fair Sheikah woman smiled kindly and knowingly.

"Well, if you are intent on helping him, you might try keeping a cool rag on his head, to soothe his fever. Other than that, you can only offer your support for now, although I'm not so sure he would appreciate being waited on by his Princess."

"Of course. Thank you Paya."

"Thank _you,_ Princess." With a quick bow, she left through the double doors, and Zelda stood in complete tranquil silence. Following Paya's suggestion, she gathered a basin of clean cold water, and a small rag. She pattered around for a half hour, until she was certain he was locked into deep sleep before she silently tip toed up the stairs, entering the room that was next to hers that was split by a thin paper wall. Link was motionless in the bed, his struggled breathing being the only signs of life. She found that he had already removed his chain mail and tunic, both of which hung over the wooden headboard of the small bed. Pulling up a small chair, the Princess began to gently wipe away the sweat that collected on his head, face, and neck. His skin was now flush, a complete reversal from the pale color it bore earlier. He shifted in the bed, and she could see his eyes move under the skin of his eyelids. With tender hands she rolled up the sleeve that covered his bandages, and began to run the damp cloth over his boiling hot skin, interlacing her fingers with his as she delicately held it against her cheek to feel its warmth.

"I'm right here for you Link. Whether you think it's appropriate or not." She whispered quietly enough that he did not wake, but she doubted that anything would stir him from his exhaustion. Satisfied with her work for the moment, she walked to her room and gather writing supplies, and brought them back to Link's room. Sitting at the quaint desk on the south wall, she began to write a short letter addressed to her mother.

 _Dear mother,_

 _I wanted to write to let you know that Link and I are safe in Kakariko Village, with Paya. However, I fear that we may be a few days longer, as Link has fallen ill. After arriving much earlier than anticipated the day before, I decided that we would travel to the Spring of Wisdom, while the summer was on our side. I know you advised against such action, but I am glad to report the trip went smoothly… That is until a small band of bandits attacked us not far from the Lanayru East Gate. Link performed admirably, and fended off our attackers and brought me back to the safety of Kakariko before hunting down the remaining bandits that escaped, and to save Hansel. It was on this venture that a poisoned arrow glanced his arm. Paya is confident that he will be just fine, as long as we keep his fever down, and apply medicine to the gash, but as of right now, despite his insistence that he is fine, he is not fit to travel._

 _I will send another letter before we leave, and when I see you back at home I will give you a detailed account of exactly what happened._

 _P.S. My powers grow stronger when I am with him… When we were attacked, I confidently used my powers to keep him safe from incoming arrows. You should have seen the look on his face. I am beginning to wonder if he is sensing the presence inside of himself._

 _Love,_

 _Your daughter._

She signed her name at the bottom and rolled the parchment up, sealed it, and gave it to Skylar in the room below, who was more than happy to give the letter to a Rito courier on urgent notice. When her business was finished, she stealthily returned to Link's side, continuing to wipe away the profuse amounts of sweat on his forehead. Link would occasionally turn in his bed, straining, and wincing in pain, but he never fully awoke. And so, she would gently roll him onto his back and nurture him further.

Several hours into his slumber, she noticed a violent change in his behavior, as his eyes spun wildly under his eyelids and he began to writhe and contort his chest outwards, drawing in panicked breaths. She rushed to his side, grabbing onto his hand, and tried to calm his tremors. His hand closed so tightly around hers that his knuckles grew white, crushing her thin fingers. She persevered through the painful grip as he grunted and murmured, furrowing his eyebrows as if he was afraid and in terrible pain, all while clutching at his chest with his free hand. _Is he having some night terror? He looks so scared…_ She continued towipe his warm forehead with the damp rag, trying her best to ease him, until he finally relented and returned to normal. _What was that? Was it the poison? Or has he always done that?_ She could not think of an answer, deciding to disregard it for the time being, and continued to care for her Appointed Knight.

Paya soon retuned, carrying a small basket of various bottles and vials full of medicinal liquids. Without saying a word, she silently sank into the room undressing his wound, and began to mix a mysterious white paste with the medicine, and began to lightly apply it to the cut. "It will help him neutralize the poison, and stop it from killing any more skin," she whispered into the Princess's ear. At her request, Paya allowed Zelda to gently wrap fresh bandages around his arm, neatly tying it in a small knot. "You could make for a fine physician, if you wanted it, my lady. You have a natural tenderness in your work." Paya accompanied her kind remark with a small smile.

"Perhaps," Zelda whispered with a grin. Paya offered to take over Zelda's spot by Link's side, but she politely declined, reveling in the moment of closeness between them.

"Just take care for when he wakes up. You could send his poor little heart into a fit if he wakes up to you by his side." Paya squinted one eye, flashing a curled grin. Zelda did not respond verbally, but responded with a knowing smile.

Their seventh and eighth hour closed in uneventfully, before he began to stir as his fever broke. His skin color had returned to a normal hue and he stopped sweating so profusely, as his blue eyes crept open hazily. He listlessly searched the room, and he regained consciousness, and lazily rubbed his eyes. His gaze eventually met Zelda's emerald eyes, pausing quizzically before his brain finally put two and two together. He tried to sit up, but she placed a firm hand against his chest.

"No. Not so quick. Take it slowly," she ordered.

"Forgive me, my lady ̶ "

"For what?" A sweet smile crossed her lips as she offered him a small glass of water. "Drink. You are dehydrated. Your fever finally passed about an hour ago, Paya said you are on the road to recovery." Link apprehensively took the cup from her hand and drank, after he awkwardly reached for his tunic, which was now cleaned and neatly folded on the bedside table. He quickly pulled it over his head to reduce his state of _undress._

"Have you been here the whole time, my lady?" he asked worriedly. His voice was still gravely, but significantly better than it was that morning.

"Don't worry about that right now Link. Do you feel strong enough to sit up and eat?" Link nodded curtly, and she allowed him to sit up slowly. She briskly left the room, soon returning with a bowl of warm soup and another glass of water, noticing that he now wore his boots and belt. Paya trailed closely behind, and greeted him kindly when she walked through the threshold of the sliding door.

"It's good to see you up Link. Are you feeling better?"

Link cleared his throat slightly before answering. "Yes."

"Well you certainly look better. Let me take a look at your arm, and see if the inflammation has gone down." Paya set herself to work, and Zelda offered Link his second glass of water. "It definitely looks better. We will still keep a close eye on it, but I believe the worst is behind you." Link thanked her silently, then took the bowl of soup in his hands. Paya left Link and Zelda alone once again, after she redressed his wound.

"When will we leave, my lady?" He placed the bowl on the side table.

"Whenever you are well enough to travel. I already sent a letter to my mother, explaining the situation. We can take as much time as you need."

He fidgeted when she mentioned sending the letter to her mother. "What time is it now?"

"Almost five in the afternoon."

His expression grew haggard and furrowed. "Forgive me, my lady. I did not mean to sleep for so long, it won't happen again."

"Nonsense. You needed it. Besides, I fear that things could have turned out much worse had we actually left this morning. I don't even think we could have made it back to MiarindÍl in time."

"Well. I feel strong enough now. It is too late to leave now, but we can leave first thing in the morning."

Zelda chuckled amusedly at his returning determination. "Let's first see what the morning brings, then we can decide. For now, rest easy and eat."

"I will go rent a bed at the Inn, my lady. I would hate to be a burden." He stood from the bed, waiting for his hazy eyesight to return.

"Link, you go too far! Slow down, and rest a while longer. I can look after you, I don't mind." She urged him to sit, but he insisted on standing.

"It's not right, my lady. You should not be caring for me. Such a task is below you." His tone bore the air of forced persuasion.

"I disagree. Why shouldn't I?" She stood from her chair, crossing her arms, ready to disprove his ridiculous notions.

"Because you are a Princess, and I am just a lowly knight, a nobody. It would be wrong, and out of turn of me to accept such care from you."

She softened her stern eyes, hoping to peacefully reason with him, finally taking her chance to speak what she wanted to say for years. "Link, you are more than just a knight."

"Am I, my lady?" he asked defiantly. "It is all I have ever trained to be. Its who I am. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Link, you are truly a valiant knight, I'm not denying that, but first and foremost you are a Hylian, just like me, my father and mother, and our people. Through thick and thin, we must take care of each other, regardless of status or birth." She paused for a moment to allow her words to sink in. "My father once told me that before one can hope to lead, they must first learn to serve." Her voice grew urgent and angsty.

"But my lady ̶ ,"

"Why did you sacrifice your safety and comfort to care for my horse? Why did you stay up all night to calm a simpleminded animal, despite your wound and exhaustion?" Link did not answer. "Are you not above the horse in status? Are you not his superior?"

"Well… Yes, my lady."

"Then why would you go ' _below yourself'_ to nurture and tend to Hansel?" She stared directly into his eyes, as if trying to crack the armor of his stoicism.

"Because I care for the horse, my lady…"

"Exactly. You care for him. You were willing to push past your own discomfort because you wanted to help him, regardless if he is considered your ' _equal'_ or not. Link, we are in this world together. We struggle together, and succeed together. We simply cannot allow superficial titles to prevent us from helping those we care for." Link tore his eyes from hers and bit his lip. "Up on Mount Lanayru, you went above and beyond what was required of you to care for me, and so I have tried to do all that I can here to care for you, and yet you scorn my help."

"I am unworthy of your help and affection, my lady."

"Who has told you this lie!?" She grabbed his open hand and her heart surged with hard-beating passion. She felt warm tears well under her eyes as she could not hold back her emotion any longer. "Why do you shut yourself away from me? Don't you feel anything for me?"

Link withdrew his hand coldly. "I can't… I just can't." He hid his face from her and proceeded to the exit after grabbing his chainmail, pauldrons, and sword. "It's not right. I have a responsibility to maintain. I can never rightfully give you what you want, my lady." The scattered emotion in his face and voice plunged into some void that he hid within himself, as he tried to end their argument, repeating his previous statement: "I am a knight. It's who I am. Nothing more. Nothing less." His eyes grew unfamiliar, and his voice sounded like someone else's, as if a stranger took his place in the room, devoid of all past and feeling.

"Link please. Don't do this again. Talk to me, let me help you." Large tears began to roll down her cheeks as she pleaded for him to stay.

"I have already failed my duty; tears are in your eyes because of me. I am unfit to be your Appointed Knight, my lady. Should the King desire it, I will resign from my position, as not to compromise your purpose further."

"Link you swore unwavering service to me! You cannot just resign, and break your oath."

"If that is true, my lady, then I broke my oath the day I took it by compromising your emotions, and reawakening a hopeless attraction. My service has wavered, and my oath has been made valueless. Only the King, or death can determine my fate, or punish my failure."

She stepped forward to Link, peering up into his heavy and tired eyes. "He would never release you. You have done nothing wrong."

"Then I will continue to fulfill my role as best as I can, my lady. But understand that I can never allow this between us." Link took a step back and bowed. "Unless you need my services further, I will excuse myself from your presence."

Zelda was floored, to shocked to respond. Heavy tears fell from her eyes, as she watched her beloved knight turn his shoulder from her, and left her emotionally devastated. She sank to the ground and sobbed solemn tears into her hands. _I have failed. Every time I try to help him, I drive him further away. Why am I so stupid, and immature!? All the progress we made the past few days has culminated into nothing._


	17. The Plains of Akkala

_Chapter seventeen, The Plains of Akkala_

With every step of his horse Link's head pounded and ached. His throat was so sore that he could barely swallow without wincing in pain, but he trekked on regardless. His fever had passed the day before, and his wound did not burn and throb as intensely as it did before, but he still felt drained and exhausted. Zelda silently rode before him, shoulders drooped in a pitiful state, and her eyes were red and irritated. She barely spoke to him, only expressing words that were absolutely necessary, which tore at his heart. He could not put into words the guilt he felt for what had transpired between them, and he wished nothing more than to ease the pain that he caused her, but he had to stay strong.

 _It's all my fault. From the very beginning, it was all my doing. I deserve every ounce of pain and suffering. Once again, father, I have failed to uphold your wishes of honesty, kindness, and courage._ He pitted his self-consciousness against the oppressive hand of failure and self-contempt, swearing to never again allow such weakness to be a stumbling block for himself or anyone else. The two voices that once fought in his head, one desiring her companionship, and the other desiring to uphold duty and honor were now silent. The latter of the two had finally won entirely, declaring its dominance over his mind and feelings, crushing out the life of its opponent beneath its foot. The voice called out to him saying: _this is how it has to be. Your union would only end in failure._ With an aching soul, he agreed with the voice inside his head, taking on its mantle of strict self-discipline, and self-denial. As he had said the day before, he swore that if the King asked it of him, he would retire from his position of Appointed Knight. However, that was all dependent on if the Princess were to share what had transpired between them. Out of respect for her possible desire for anonymity and silence on the matter, he promised himself not to bring the topic up with her father, unless she spoke first.

 _I doubt she will. But if she does, I will stay true to my word. For the time being, I will faithfully fulfill my responsibilities as her protector, but nothing more._ He felt sick to the stomach, as he skipped breakfast that morning. Paya undoubtedly noticed the strain between them, but to his knowledge she did not inquire further with the Princess, which he was glad for. _The less people know about it, the better. Rumors are bad enough as is, we don't need ones rooted in truth springing up._ The Great Plateau passed every slowly to their left as the slowly rode north, towards Hyrule Castle, traversing through Gatepost Town.

"My lady. We can't stop and eat here, if you need to." His voice was uncharismatic, only filled with the air of an unfamiliar voice. Zelda did not answer at first. She rode forward a little longer before she sighed and glanced over her shoulder with solemn eyes.

"I suppose we should." Without another word, she pulled her horse to the side of the road and dismounted, trying the reins to a wooden post, and began to rummage her saddle bag for her food. Link followed suit, tying his horse off nearby, but he did not grab any food from his bag. Link instead just stood guard close by, politely turning his back away, so that he would not interrupt her meal, but was still close enough to be there in a moment's notice. Normally she would have insisted that he sit with her and eat, but no requests fell from her lips this time around. She ate alone in silence, until she finished her meager meal of a small fruit and slab of Sheikah-made bread. When she had her fill, and drank from her waterskin, she stood and took hold of her reins, and struggled up into her saddle. She spurred Hansel into a slow walk, as Link leapt up onto Zeno, pulling him to follow the Princess. He removed a singular apple from his saddle, and began to bite small chunks from it silently so that she would not know that he was eating. The apple sat sourly in his stomach, churning in unrest as he bobbed back and forth on his horse's back. On several occasions, he had to hold back the urge to vomit, as the remaining poison that his body was still fighting upset his digestive system.

 _What kind of coward uses poison? But I guess bandits have no sense of honor._ He stretched his arm slightly, feeling the injured skin pull and tweak beneath its bindings. _We're almost home at least. Then I can maybe rest in peace._

They soon found themselves on the of plains of Hyrule field, as the afternoon sun painted the countryside yellow, and shone down on the majesty of Hyrule Castle far in the north. The Princess increased her pace, obviously ready to be home. He did not blame her, he felt the same sense of urgency to be back, desiring the solitude of his own room. They trotted over the gravely roads in the sea of green grass as the immense size of the castle only grew greater. Before long they were at the main gate of Castle Town, and the familiar rumble of busy voices and busy people roared out from the crowded center. As always, the inhabitants of the town cleared a path for their Princess, bowing graciously, then shot curious glances at Link, silently remarking his sickly skin tone, and battered face. Despite the signs that he had no control over, his expression remained plain and unchanging. When they entered the reaches of the castle, they were greeted by several servants and Royal Guards, who beckoned for them to go to the stables and lighten the heavy burdens of travel. Zelda dismounted her horse, adjusting the folds of her riding jacket, before she turned to leave.

"My lady. Do you require my services further?" he asked as he bowed.

"No. You are free to go and rest." She left him at the stables without saying goodbye, which brought him equal doses of relief and pain. With a heavy heart and head, he left the care of the horses to the young stable boy, who reveled at the heavy Lynel sword that was tucked and tied neatly under his saddle bag.

"What am I to do with this, Sir?" he asked with wide eyes.

"Just keep it with my other belongings." With a wide gait, he walked back to the servant's hall, and climbed the stairs to his bedroom, locking the door behind him and collapsed into his bed. He rubbed his eyes and face with his calloused hands, finally allowing his exhaustion and sorrow to come to fruition in the form of wet eyes and a downtrodden scowl. He stroked the rough patchy hair on his chin, standing to examine it in the small mirror in his room. "Goddess, you look like shit," he said to himself, lifting the bags under his swollen eyes, and rubbing the bruise on his cheek.

After gathering clean clothes from his dresser, as well as bathing supplies, he walked down to the bath house and began to scrub away to grime on his face and body. He took care not to disturbed the bandage on his arm, since he did not have fresh ones to replace them yet, but he cleaned all around it. After washing his long golden hair, he dried himself and set about shaving the scraggly stubble on his face, rubbing his fingers along his now smooth skin. _That's better. But you still look like hell._ After dressing himself, he made his way to the servant's physician, requesting for the learned man to help clean and redress the bloody gash on his arm.

"What in the world happened to you, boy? This is no ordinary wound." Link said nothing, but nodded to confirm the physicians remark. "Well, I can apply some medicine, and rewrap it, but it will take time to heal."

"Thank you. That will be all that is necessary." The physician nodded, then cleaned the wound and applied a medicinal mixture, then rewrapped it with fresh bandages.

"Do you need something for your illness? You sound like someone shoved gravel down your throat."

"Only if you think it's necessary." At this point, Link was so tired and upset that he could care less for trying to get better. The physician rummaged his supply closet for a small vial of a mysterious liquid, instructing him to drink it before he went to bed. Link thanked him, then took his leave, returning to the servant's hall. His stomach still churned and ached, and so he decided to skip dinner all together, taking a moment to find a small bin, in case he was to spit up the food he ate earlier that day. As he begrudgingly anticipated, after climbing in bed, his upset stomach rejected the food he had eaten, and he finally allowed himself to vomit. Every inch of his body ached when he finally laid his head back after drinking the elixir given to him. _How I wish I could just wake up tomorrow and have all my troubles taken away._

Habit awoke him early in the morning, feeling much better than he did the night before. His throat and voice was less hoarse, and his headache had subsided, but he still did not feel completely back to normal. _It's a start, I guess._ Rubbing his empty stomach, he stood himself up, dressing into his everyday attire, and strung his sword around his waist. With a groggy conscious, he stepped into the servant's dining room, and sat down at the long wooden table, soon being joined by some of the other castle staff.

"Good morning Link." The white-haired butler entered the room, taking a seat at the head of the table. Link remembered the first time he had met old Larin the butler, when he showed him to his new room after being appointed. He seemed rather indifferent towards him then, but now the old man had grown quite accustom to Link, and seemed to hold a favorable eye towards him.

"Good morning Larin," Link responded politely, however rough, and gravely.

"Goddess, you sound like death itself. Are you all right?"

"Well enough."

"I see you got a nasty bruise on your cheek as well."

Link shrugged his shoulders in response, signaling that he would rather drop the topic. One of the young kitchen maids began serving small bowls of food, shooting a flirtatious grin at Link as she placed his bowl down. He ignored the knowing gesture, and curtly thanked her. With caution he began to eat, fearing that his upset stomach might reawaken, but after a few bites he felt confident enough to enjoy his much-needed meal.

"I heard the Princess had quite a drowsiness about her as well. Although I suppose traveling can certainly do that to someone."

 _A broken heart can do the same thing, and much worse. In all honesty, the traveling had nothing to do with it._ His simple nod sufficed as a response, and he continued to eat in silence.

"I doubt you will be needed today, as they are allowing her to sleep in, and take a day to recover. I would suggest you take this opportunity to run any errands."

"I think I will go check on my father's home. See how the caretaker is doing." He had not spoken to Eric since the day after Zelda's birthday, nearly two months prior, and so he wanted to see how he was getting along.

After finishing breakfast, he walked into town, passing through Market Square, and ventured down all too familiar streets. He passed Ariel's home, then Mrs. Tamlin's cottage, and eventually reached the block his father's home and workshop rested. _Well I guess it's technically my home now._ Old emotions stirred in his heart _,_ only piling onto the ones that already ravaged his mind. He could hear the familiar ping of a hammer striking against metal emendating from the workshop. Link entered the open workshop, greeting Eric with a warm smile.

"I'm glad to see you're hard at work."

Eric's head shot up, his face looked remarkably older than it did last time he saw him, being only a boy of newly turned fifteen, but he still had the characteristically shaggy hair. "Link! It's good to see you." Eric dropped his work and shook Link's forearm. "You sound awful though. No offense."

"I know. Everyone says it… How's the work going?"

"It's going good. I'm making a decent living here, and I have taken an apprenticeship under the Royal Armorer. He is teaching me to craft weapons and armor."

"Glad to hear it. How are things going here? The house, the town?"

"Your house is in good condition, just very dusty. I've been meaning to dust it, but I've been caught up filling orders. The town is good. Your neighbor sometimes visits, asking if I've seen you recently."

"Ariel?" he asked, admittedly disdained by the prospect.

"Yes." Eric's eyes darted away, a small grin crossing his mouth. "She's quite the looker if you ask me… I think she fancies you."

Link sighed slightly. "Yeah… She should really not waste her time with me, to be honest." Link shifted his shoulders and furrowed his eyebrows. _Another issue to deal with, on top of the mountain of other issues._

Eric tilted his head slightly, a perplexed expression on his face. "You don't like her?"

"I certainly enjoy her, but I don't fancy her. Not like that." Link smiled mischievously, as it was the first reprieve from his troubled and emotional devastated mind. "Why do you ask? Do _you_ fancy her?"

Eric stumbled and stuttered on his words before finally spitting out: "Well. Maybe. But I never perused it, thinking that there was something between you two. Besides, she much older than me."

Link chuckled a little bit, allowing the short moment of emotional relief to stay. "I believe she's only a year older than you, my friend. At any rate, I'm afraid the ordeal is terribly one sided." He placed an encouraging hand on Eric's shoulder. "I can't make any promises, but just hold out a little longer, and maybe you will find success in your pursuit. Don't lose heart."

Eric nodded with determination, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eye. "Any suggestions on how to proceed?" he asked with a calculated tongue.

"Just be yourself. Easy as that." Eric only nodded to his simple advice, committing it to heart. "Well. I don't want to keep you from your work. I will take my leave."

"Goodbye Link. Take care… Oh and, thanks for the advice!"

"Not a problem. Take care."

Link entered his father's home through the side door from the workshop, stepping into the silent and desolate building. It was exactly how he left it before, aside from some of the cleaning Eric had done. The momentary break from his heavy heart had ended, and soon the strong emotions attached to his past resurfaced as he crept through his childhood home. After running his hand along the fireplace mantle, and viewing the various knickknacks that his father once collected. He entered his father's room, which smelled exactly how he remembered it, bringing back teary-eyed nostalgia and pain. After shuffling around in the quiet room, he sat on the edge of the empty bed, feeling the dip in the center, sensing the negative air. Now that he was utterly alone, he allowed solemn tears to fall from his eyes, dripping drop by drop into his open hands. The tears soon turned into a steady flow, and eventually unleashing the flood gates of long withheld and silenced suffering as his back and shoulders sank lower. He thought on MiarindÍl's words from when he last visited her, as he pulled the small necklace bearing the stone lamb out from under his shirt, running his rough finger over its fine details, removing the small room key from the leather cord.

" _You are the unwilling victim of loss, but it is the struggle all mortal things face… We should not toil away his legacy by regretting the unchangeable fate of this world. Come now, and shed a tear of mourning for him, for you shall find comfort. And when you are done, take up courage in his name."_

He covered his eyes with the palms of his hands and wept bitterly, caving in under the pressure of self-contempt and misery. The singular victorious voice returned to his mind, reassuring him that he had made the right choice in hiding his emotions, especially from the Princess. _It has to be this way. How else could you loyally serve your calling?_ Link mentally nodded in agreeance with himself. _It has to be._ And so, in the solitude of his long-gone father's bedroom, Link sobbed lonely tears until he had no more to give.

When his eyes were dry, he stood from the bed, stretching his shoulders, leaving his father's necklace on the mattress, and donned the guise of the silent stranger; the stranger who did not know fear, pain, or love. Only duty, and loyal service. He left behind the memories of his home and he walked out into the street, feeling as if he felt a part of himself in that bedroom. _Guess it's time to head back._ With newfound determination, he walked back to the castle, where he stayed with no immediate purpose to fulfill, and no task to achieve, but it did not matter to him.

* * *

Weeks passed uneventfully, as Link filled his idle time with trips to the training yard, to help the new recruits perfect their swordsmanship, and offer aid to Captain Kerrigan, who was overjoyed to have Link assist him. He accompanied the Princess when she would travel outside the castle, but it was only on a few occasions, marked by estranged silence and only necessary communication. The wound on his arm finally healed, and soon he felt back at full strength. Unsure if his return of strength prompted the decision or not, the Queen declared that it was time for the Princess to travel to the remaining spring, the Spring of Power, in the Akkala region. Whereas before the Princess was ecstatic to get out on the road, this time around she was distraught by the proposition, but was intent on completing the task given to her, and did not voice her disposition. Link was relieved to find that she no longer forced him into compromising situations, which made it much easier to fulfill his duty as he saw fit, as if the disguise of unfamiliarity was convincing enough that she no longer felt the same way for him, and saw him only, or how he saw himself, as a necessary tool to be used. However, despite this new development, Zelda never returned to her former cheery and optimistic personality, instead she took on much more withheld and formal mannerisms. Deep within himself, in the faintest of pleas, he could feel the other voice cry out in anguish, but it no longer had a strong hold on him, and so he blotted it out whenever it appeared.

"The horses are ready when you are, my lady," he said as he stooped into a bow.

"Good. Let's be off then." Before Link could offer his help, the Princess leapt up into Hansel's saddle, and spurred him into a gentle walk. Link followed suit, and they soon the left the comfort of Hyrule Castle to travel the many hills and dells of their kingdom once again. They traveled through the east gate of Castle Town, and crossed over the Orsedd and Thims bridges, traveling northeast near Zora's Domain. The day before, the Queen asked for Link's presence, where she instructed him to plot a course that would first take them to the Akkala Citadel, to rest and form a report of the operation, then to the Spring of Power. From there they were to return to the Citadel, then arc back around and visit Zoras Domain, for the continuation of the Princess's diplomatic endeavors. He recalled how the Queen eyed him intently, taking careful note of his every response in an unsettlingly gaze. He wondered if she knew about what happened between him and the Princess, imagining that she would most certainly be displeased or even angry with him, but she never approached the topic.

The summer days had finally given into the cooler winds of the north, and now the trees of Hyrule began to shift into vibrant colors of yellow, orange, and red. Zelda wore her usual travel clothing, however she had a much heavier coat and a travel cloak, and Link took extra precaution to pack a number of blankets so that they would not have a repeat of the events on top of Mount Lanayru. He replayed the events of that week in his mind, shunning his poor performance. _Not this time. This time will be different. This time were on the same page… At least I hope._ He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, covering his golden locks, and overshadowed his face. The gentle breeze drifted by, carrying to quiet songs of the birds on its back, and Link seeped in every detail of the tranquil wild.

"Link. May I speak to you?" He looked ahead, seeing that the Princess was glancing at him over her shoulder, with a somber expression. He apprehensively brought his horse alongside hers, so that she could more easily speak to him.

"Yes, my lady," he replied evenly, not showing an ounce of his apprehension.

The Princess shifted in her saddle, turning her head forward to the road before speaking in a solemnly soft voice. "I wanted to apologize for our time in Kakariko. It did not go as I had hoped, and so I wanted to say I'm sorry for putting you in a compromising position. I did not stop and think to consider your opinion." Here wording was awkward and forced, but very deliberately arranged, as he was certain she was avoiding saying exactly what happened.

"There is nothing to forgive, my lady. Communication is a two-way street, I am as much to blame." _If not entirely… In fact, I am entirely to blame, but I won't try to argue that right now._ The Princess did not verbally respond, but she looked at him and nodded with a small polite smile, that quickly dissipated. He was relieved that she did not try to argue against his statement, as she would have once done. _At least we can be friendly._

The gentle waters of the Lanayru Wetlands to their right rippled and bobbed in the autumn wind as they turned north, cutting between the great heights of Zoras Domain, and Death Mountain by the light of the afternoon. Atop their respective peaks sat the cryptic and decaying Divine Beasts of Old. Vah Ruta, and Vah Rudania stood as the last remaining beacons of the old ways for their respective peoples, held in high esteem and idolized, even in their powered down and unserviceable states. Link always dreamt of seeing one of the beasts up close, at that moment realizing that it might be a possible reality, now that they were to visit Zoras Domain when they concluded their business in the Akkala region. However, his dream would have to wait a while longer, as they still had a ways to go. They continued below the cliffside of Upland Zorana, eventually reaching the southside of the Akkala Span. The great Citadel towered high before them, serving as the stone warden of the Hyrulean people of Akkala, a centerpiece of strength and power. From peak to base shot up great brick towers of bright hewn stone, seamlessly merging with the natural foundation of rock that it was anchored to, and piercing the blue sky above, mixing the old and new architecture. On the battlements were state-of-the-art armaments, much like the ones that Hyrule Castle bore, but larger, and stronger. Link stared up in awe at the militaristic show of power.

 _Well, Jonathan. If I knew that this is where you trained, I would have requested to transfer._ The statement peaked in his mind. _I wonder if I'll see him here!_ The idea brought him a turn of joy, growing into excitement to see his oldest friend once again. The watchmen of the bridge greeted their Princess with dutiful bows, afterwards greeting Link with only doubtful and judgmental glances as they passed over. _Somethings will never change I guess._ When they had reached the northside of the Span, they dismounted, and were led on foot up a small staircase, eventually coming under the shadow of the Citadel.

Lord Aron of the Akkala Citadel strode forth from the main gate, graciously bowing with a thrown-out arm. He wore a simple leather doublet bearing the pin of his keep on his left breast, and a bright tunic underneath. "My lady, I am overjoyed to see you again! Your very presence lightens this great fortress. Please walk with me, and I will bring you to a safe place to eat and rest." The young lord held out his arm, signaling that she would take it. With a quick step the Princess advanced to his side, and politely ran her arm through his, walking alongside him. "How was your trip, my lady?"

"It was uneventful, but pleasant. I find that the open spaces help calm my mind." Her voice was warmer and more upbeat than Link had heard it in weeks, but he was not sure how he felt about it. Was he sad, glad, or indifferent? He could not say, nor did he wish to say, his only desire now was to serve. With silent footfalls, he marched behind the lord and lady, staying several paces back, drawing his hood back when they entered the Citadel's Keep through the large open portcullis. Within the mountain of stone there was a labyrinth of stairs and walkways, leading to large rooms, halls, and barracks. With exuberant steps and boastful speeches, Lord Aron led them to a strange wooden contraption at the north side of the labyrinth. It was a peculiar looking thing, a machine that Link had never seen before.

"Come now, fair Princess, allow me to show you some of the technological enhancements we've made to the Citadel." He ushered them unto a wooden platform that sat below a dizzying arrangement of wooden scaffolding, chains, and pulleys. They peered above, viewing the long shaft that ran up to the top of the Citadel. Lord Aron pulled down a small gate, enclosing them in the small wooden box, then ran his hand over a metal lever in the center of the platform. "Don't let the jolt scare you, my lady, it's completely normal." With a confident pull of the lever, the wooden platform shook, and the chains rattled, before the platform mysteriously began to drift upwards.

A wide smile shot across the Princess's face, gazing in wonder at the contraption that carried them to the peak of the Citadel. "This is astonishing, Lord Aron! What is this machine called?"

"An elevator, my lady. That crazy Shiekah scientist in north Akkala helped us design it, among a number of other things. It uses a surprisingly simple system of counter weights to pull the platform to the level above. It is of course by no means comparable to the ancient Sheikah technology of old, but it is ours, and we know how to use and control it, how to recreate it. On top of that, it is much faster and easier than using the stairs."

"Incredible. I will have to include it in my report when we return tomorrow afternoon!"

Link could see the endearing child-like glee in her smile, the faint laughter in her voice, and he began to feel the lost voice inside his head making its hard-fought return. However, with a simple shift of his mind, he stamped out the revolt, and forgot about the intrusion, pulling his gaze from the Princess seemingly unaffected by her enchanting nature. When they reached the summit of the Citadel, they stepped out into the cold open air, gazing out into the unbelievable view of the tiny world below. Lord Aron escorted the Princess to the railing, pointing out the land marks of Akkala.

"Down there is the Torin Wetlands, and Tarrey Town," he said, pointing to the large village that sprawled out from a large stone plateau in the center of Lake Akkala. "Now, Tarrey Town originally only existed on that little stone pillar in the lake, until in recent years, under our protection, they have expanded out towards Malin Bay, and the East Akkala Plains. Its market and town have grown to rival even that of Hyrule's Castle Town."

"I would like to visit it, before we leave," Zelda stated hopefully.

"If you wish it, then I can make it happen!" He pulled away from the railing, squaring his shoulders to the Princess, but turned his back to Link, so that he closed off Link's line of sight to the Princess, before continuing in a quiet voice. "On that topic, I wanted to address your escort situation. Your mother wrote to me about what happened at Mount Lanayru, expressing concern for your safety, and how your _escort_ fell ill. I have decided that I will send a small detachment of my best men along with you when you travel to the Spring of Power."

In a soft whisper, she responded: "I assure you, Lord Aron, that Link is more than capable of protecting me."

"Of course, my lady." Lord Aron's reply bore a hint of skepticism. "But you never know what may happen. It would put my heart at rest if you agreed to be accompanied by a more… substantial host of escorts."

Zelda paused for a moment, but Link could not see her face. She sighed slightly before continuing. "Very well. If you think its best."

"Excellent," he exclaimed, resuming his normal volume. "Now, you must be tired, and hungry. I have dinner prepared, in the dining hall, please be my honored guest!"

"Of course, Lord Aron." The Princess took his arm again, and he led her to the front door of the manor-like building at the peak of the Citadel. Link followed them to the threshold before deciding that he had gone far enough, and that his services were no longer needed, and so he silently stepped to the side, disappearing from their eyesight, and took his place on the opposite side of the door to the guard that already stood careful watch. For a quarter of an hour he stood at a silent attention, growing cold under the strong breeze.

"They don't even let you eat after your trip?" The quiet voice had come from the guard that stood next to him.

"What?"

"You escorted the Princess all the way from Hyrule Castle, right?"

"Yes."

"And now that they're in there enjoying a warm dinner and fire, they're making you stand guard out here in the cold, with nothing to eat, and no rest?" The guard's bushy eyebrow curved up, and his mustache curled.

"Well, I wouldn't put it like that. But I guess in a way, yes. I can't leave till I am dismissed."

The guard chuckled a little. "Sounds like bullshit to me. You must be starving." Link only shrugged his shoulders, neither agreeing with, or denouncing the guards statement. "Well, whenever they free you, if you go back down the elevator, and follow the leftmost walkway, you should find the soldiers chow hall at the third doorway."

"Thanks."

"No problem." The guard's mustache twitched a little, before a small grin reached his covered mouth. "Aren't you a little young to be escorting the Princess?"

Link sighed a little. "Probably."

The guard grunted amusedly. "Man of few words huh? I guess I can respect that. I've heard Lord Aron talk about you before. He said you aren't fit for such a position. He doesn't seem to fancy you very much."

Link listlessly stared out onto the dark evening horizon. "A lot of people feel that way."

"So I've heard. But you seem like an ok chap to me." The guard offered a kind nod, before returning to silence.

Link stood guard as the sun slowly crept below the horizon, giving way to the starry sky. From sheer boredom, he began counting the glittering stars, making it all the way to two-hundred and four, when the door to his side swung open, and out stepped a young footman.

"Are you Link?" he asked. Link nodded. "Good, finally. Seems Lord Aron gave me the wrong directions to where you were, I've been looking for you nearly an hour now… Anyways, he said you're dismissed. I'll take you to your room."

 _Wrong directions? Why…_ It occurred to him that it might have been and _intentional_ mistake, recalling how the young lord seemed to despise him. _Guess he wanted to keep me out here without food for as long as possible, for payback._ Normally, he would have grown angry at the idea, but he now simply felt indifferent to the matter, content with shrugging his shoulders and letting it go. The young footman led Link down the elevator, and to the right through a number of corridors known as the West Wing, presenting him to a shabby and damp bedroom. It looked like no one had stayed in it for years, a bed and single chair being the only furniture of note. The remainder of the room was filled with heavy storage barrels, and Link began to wonder if it was a bedroom at all, and not a supply room.

"Lord Aron said that this was the only room available. I figured the barracks had at least one empty spot, but apparently not, according to him. Sorry for the mess. Someone will bring your bags up eventually."

With a grateful nod, Link thanked him and dismissed the young footman. He felt the lumpy mattress on the rickety bedframe, remarking its bad odor. _Well I guess there's no denying it now. Lord Aron must really hate me. I shouldn't have embarrassed him during our duel when the King showed up… Maybe he would have given me a real room then, instead of this poor excuse for a bedroom._ Pressing the issue from his mind, he left his _room_ and walked to the chow hall, which was empty at this point.

"You've missed dinner already, pal," said one of the kitchen staff members as he was cleaning up the last table. "I'm afraid there isn't food left."

Link sighed. _Why is it always the food!? Can't I have just one thing for certain anymore?_ "It's fine. I wasn't that hungry anyways."

"I may have an apple, or mighty banana somewhere. Let me check first." The kitchen member left the hall, eventually reemerging with a small banana in his hand. "It's not much. But it will hold you off till breakfast."

"Thank you."

"No problem."

Link ate the banana on his way back to his room, discarding the peel in a small metal bin in his room. His bag had been brought in, and he was glad to find the extra blanket he had packed was rolled up and tucked inside, as there was no pillow or blanket on his drably bed. He removed his outer clothing, and sank into bed, with an empty stomach, and empty mind, falling fast asleep.

* * *

He awoke with a stiff back, imagining that the stone floor would have been more comfortable to sleep on. With a quick stretch, he replaced his travel gear, and walked back to the chow hall. A long line of knights was already forming, as they bustled about to get their morning breakfast.

"Link!?" a loud voice called out. Strong arms wrapped around him before he realized who it was.

"Jonathan!" Link beamed with an open-mouthed smile.

"Goddess I'm glad to see you! I got your letter a few weeks ago, explaining that you had been become the Princess's Appointed Knight." Jonathan stuck his weighty hand in Link's hair, ruffling it wildly. "The moment I read it, I knew that there could never be a better man for the job!"

 _I disagree._ "Well I appreciate the sentiment! How have you been, Jonathan?"

"Never better! I finally got promoted to Sergeant, so you can't technically boss me around anymore, as were equals again." A proud smile reached across his fair face.

"Like I ever did boss you around," Link remarked with a chuckle.

"When did you get in?"

"Yesterday evening. I kept an eye for you, but I didn't see you anywhere."

"I was out on patrol pretty late last night, so I'm not surprised… So what's it like? Being the Princess's Appointed Knight?" Jonathan asked, ushering him into a spot in line.

Link chose he next words very carefully, which Jonathan seemed to notice immediately, despite Link's well-developed skills in stoicism. "Well, it's certainly no walk in the park, but it's good and hard work. Sleep is sparing, as well as the food at times. It's rather hard to find time to eat"

"Where did you even sleep? I would have seen you in the barracks if you were there."

"I slept in the West Wing."

A puzzled expression covered Jonathan's face. "The West Wing? There aren't even bedrooms on that side of the Citadel. That side is only for storage."

"Well that would explain the countless barrels in my room," Link laughed.

"Why the hell would they put you in there!?" Jonathan's face had an equally confused and amused expression on it, dumbfounded by the odd scenario, but admittedly found it a little humorous.

"Lord Aron said that there was no more room in the barracks."

"What is he talking about!? There's entire rows of beds free." Jonathan's head reared back in laughter. "Link, my old friend, I think the Lord of the Citadel is out to get you. What in the world did you do to deserve such treatment?" Jonathan laughed again, as his humored cheeks grew flush.

"Only exactly what he invited me to do," Link replied with a suppressed smile, thinking back on when Lord Aron invited him to give his best shot at sparring with him, and how he embarrassed the proud lord.

"And what would that be?"

Link shrugged his shoulders, dismissing the subject's unimportance. "Another story for another time and place. I'm starving."

Link and his childhood friend ate merrily together, and he soon forgot his troubles for the time being. Unfortunately, duty called, and he had to finish his meal quickly before returning to the peak of the Citadel after taking his bag to the stable. He promised that he would speak to Jonathan again before they were to leave, to travel to Zoras Domain. At the peak of the Citadel, Link once again took his spot in front of the main entrance of the manor, and waited as the rising sun banished the lingering dark of the early morning.

That morning was predominantly marked by an unusually thick fog that had settled on the mainland, being blown in by the warm winds of the Great Sea to the east. Link decided to take a brief moment for himself, and approached the edge of the stone platform that he stood on. He peered out into the white mist before him, astonished that it was so dense and oppressive that he could not even see the lower levels of the Citadel below him, much less the large town that was to the northeast. Shortly after stepping away from the railing, he heard the rattle and creaks of the Citadel's elevator nearby, and soon a group of four knights appeared.

"You must be the Appointed Knight," one of the knights remarked, confidently walking over to Link. Link clasped his hands behind his back, before nodding. "I'm sure you get this a lot, but Hylia alive, you are quite young to have such an important job. I thought Lord Aron was joking about your age, but now I see you really are just a youngling." The knight, who Link presumed was the leader of the small detachment, glanced over his shoulder to his men, saying: "Come here fellas. Give the boy a proper introduction." One by one the other three knights approached, giving Link a rough fisted tap on the shoulder and a firm handshake.

"What brings you here, gentlemen?" Link asked with a stern, but not unkind voice.

"Lord Aron has instructed us to accompany you and the Princess to the Spring of Power. He says that your capabilities as her protector are somewhat… questionable. Not to be rude, but I don't really blame his skepticism. Even if you are a part of the Royal Guard, I think that simply winning a tournament shouldn't determine who is chosen for such an important job. Besides, word got around about how you were attacked at Mount Lanayru, and we intend to ensure something like that does not happen again."

Link shrugged his shoulders, being inclined to agree, but still very sure of his own capabilities. A former version of him would have been pride-stricken and angered by the knight's remark, but the comment seemed so below him, and he had the overwhelming sense that he just did not care anymore. "Well, I guess I can't argue that point." He could have easily described the countless times he fought the horrid monsters of Faron, slayed the Lynel of Damel Forest, successfully destroyed a small Yiga led company of bandits, became the youngest graduate of both the Guard and Royal Guard, or even that he beat the both the King and even Lord Aron in a duel. However, he knew that at this point his words bore no weight or trust among the knights of the Citadel, nor any knight for that matter, outside those who knew him personally. Link thought on the issue further, concluding from an outsider's perspective, him being appointed as the Princess's escort must have seemed like a truly poor and unwise decision on the Kings part, as he had yet to publicly prove his worthiness, outside of that small tournament.

"I wouldn't care to repeat the… stern words of Lord Aron, but I must warn you that he finds you rather unsavory. A word of caution, youngling, try not to upset him further." The knight slapped Link on the back, with a small chuckle, before the detachment congregated not far from the front door of the Citadel office. Link returned to his post not far from the door, waiting patiently in the thick morning fog. He did not wait long before the door swung open, and out stepped Lord Aron, and Princess Zelda. The five knights bowed before their Princess. She wore her ceremony gown and jewelry, which now featured a heavy over coat, to combat the colder weather of autumn.

"Well. Thank you again, Lord Aron. I appreciate your hospitality."

"Of course, my lady. It was the least I could do after hearing about your rough travels beforehand." The young lord bowed graciously, before turning to Link. "Was your sleeping situation… adequate, Link?" Lord Aron asked with a smug and knowing grin.

Without a hint of spite on his tongue, Link responded politely. "Yes, my lord. Thank you."

The Princess glanced between the two men, with a slightly perplexed expression, picking up on the unspoken language that passed between them. "Good! Then I will ensure that you receive the same treatment tonight when you return, since you were pleased with it."

"Very good, my lord." Link bowed his head slightly, admittedly finally growing a little frustrated with the young lords incessant bullying, but he disregarded the emotion.

 _I guess in a way you deserve it,_ the voice in his head said to him. Under that pretense he accepted the lord's sly words and actions more graciously, almost to the point of welcoming them.

"I suppose it's time to be off then, this fog won't let up anytime soon it seems," Zelda finally said, breaking the pause in dialog.

"I will walk with you to the front gate, if you don't mind."

"Of course not, Lord Aron," Zelda replied with a polite smile.

The small host of Hylian's proceeded down the Citadel elevator, and traversed back through the labyrinth of the Keep, eventually reemerging through the front gate, where their horses were saddled and awaiting their arrival. After Zelda and Lord Aron exchanged brief goodbyes, they mounted their horses and set out on the road to the Spring of Courage, passing a small stable and eventually reaching Shadow Pass. The fog that had settled on the land never relented, and so their path was concealed, and pale, making it impossible to see more than a couple yards in front of them. The four knights that accompanied Link and Zelda spread out in a loose formation, covering four corners at all times, and Link followed closely behind his Princess. They passed through the forest of Shadow Pass, and soon they gazed upon the upturned and exposed rock of Ordorac Quarry. A gentle grass slope lead down into the quarry, where they followed the rightmost wall, eventually stumbling upon the overgrown entrance to the Spring of Power. The assembly dismounted, and tied their horses off, walking over to the tunnel-like entrance. Two knights set themselves to pulling aside the overgrown vines that hung down over the doorway, and gestured for their Princess to enter.

Unsure if he should follow or not, Link tarried back, waiting for her command or gesture. When the Princess walked through the threshold the four Citadel Knights began to enter, until she held out her hand. "Only Link. You four may wait here." The knights shot curious glances at Link, who was as equally perplexed by the command. However, he followed her order, and proceeded behind her, tucking a rolled blanket under his arm.

"What was that nonsense about your sleeping situation back at the Citadel?" the Princess asked when they were in the privacy of the tunnel.

 _Why would she bring that up? Of all things…_ He considered his answer very carefully, hoping to avoid lying, but also not desiring to explain the less than pleasurable acquaintanceship between him and Lord Aron. "I believe he was concerned about the draftiness of my room. It was quite all right however, my lady."

The Princess grunted thoughtfully. "It was just a strange thing to bring up, if you ask me…"

They exited the short corridor that led to the open spring, where there stood a narrow walkway and steps, surrounded on both sides by gently flowing water. Stone pillars supported the roof above them, and on them hung empty and decrepit sconces, the fires that once were contained within them were long extinguished. As they ascended to the dais ahead of them, the Princess removed her boots and coat, stepping into the cold waters of the goddess Springs one last time. She treaded to the center of the cascading falls that surrounded her, closing her eyes, and clasping her hands together. Not a word fell from her lips, but he was certain that she was intently praying in her mind, so he politely turned his back to the spring, standing at ease, guarding the entrance to the spring. For half an hour his Princess prayed, until he heard the soft ripples of water call out, signaling her return to shore. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing that she was staring at him with an intensity that made him anxious and unnerved. He turned around to face her, offering his unfeeling hand out to pull her from the spring, which she took gratefully, but formally. He noted that the golden symbol on her hand was not glowing this time around, which he thought was rather odd. However, he pressed it from his mind, as he offered her a dry blanket, so that she might warm herself. At her bidding, they returned to the other knights and their horses, mounting up and made their way back to the road.

 _It's strange. I thought that maybe something special would happen when she would finish pray at the last spring… But what do I know?_ The whole scenario felt _off_ to him, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not put a finger on it, or give the feeling a name. Again, he pushed the topic from his mind, before spurring his horse forward to follow his _silent Princess._ As Link had plotted, from the Spring of Power they followed the path a little further north, before they would double back south to enter Tarrey Town from the Akkala Plains entrance, as the Princess had requested that they visit the trading center. They reached the East Akkala Stable with no trouble, apart from the heavy fog, but it was when they turned south and traveled the empty road a little longer that they beheld a sight unlike anything they had ever seen.

Standing on the ridge above East Akkala Beach, they could see a blinding yellow glare erupting through the heavy fog, emanating from the approximate location of Tarrey Town, and its surrounding farms and homes. They had to clear their eyes to ensure that what they saw was real, standing paralyzed with terror as they watched hundreds of armed warriors leap out onto the beach from wooden landing boats, bearing bright torches. On the eastern sea they could see a fleet of what Link estimated to be three hundred battleships, all bearing darks sails, but no flag or banner. The sandy spiral of the Rist Peninsula served as the fleets impromptu harbor for their countless landing craft. It was a day that none could have foreseen; a day that from the warm seas of the east, a grim and terrible enemy had come to pillage and destroy their kingdom

"Holy shit…." The Citadel Knights that accompanied the Princess and her Appointed Knight shifted and fidgeted in fear, unsure of what to even do. The Princess stared in wide-eyed terror, to shocked to even say a word, or form a command. It was Link who spoke the first words of confidence, taking hold of the situation in a strong and commanding voice.

"My lady. You and the Knights of the Citadel ride back immediately! Take the same western path we came from, with all the haste you can muster. Warn Lord Aron, and tell him of the invasion. There could easily be tens of thousands of men aboard those ships. We do not stand a chance of beating them on the open battlefield. Tell him to call out a small number of the cavalry to ride out and save those who are fleeing Tarrey Town, but make him understand that we have to keep the majority of our strength within the Citadel." Seeing that the Princess was not looking at him, so distraught with fear that she quivered, he rose his voice to break her from the spell of fear. "Princess!" he shouted, and she snapped her head towards him with hopeless eyes. "Go! Now! The longer we wait the more people will die!"

"What will you do!?" She asked with a sheepish voice.

"I am going to ride out and help whoever is still alive…"

"What!? Link no, you can't go alone!"

Link pulled on the reins, turning his horse to face hers. "There is no time Zelda! Go!" She continued to protest, but Link ignored her, barking orders to the other knights, as he broke them from their paralyzed states, ordering them to get the Princess to safety. The knights of the Citadel forgot all rank, and all past misconceptions about the young warrior that was before them, and with fearful hearts they followed his every command, pulling the young Princess back to the western road in a panicked sprint.

Without a moment's hesitation, Link kicked Zeno, sending his faithful steed into a gallop, as he charged towards the pillar of fire that rose from the heart of the Akkala countryside. His heart pounded inside of his chest, unsure if it was from fear or adrenaline. He drew his sword, holding it high and proud as he swore to avenge the blood of innocence he knew would be spilled on the open plains of Akkala.

 _Honest, kindness, and courage._

 _Courage._

 _Courage till death._


	18. Shield-Brothers

_Chapter eighteen, Shield-Brothers_

She began to gasp for air when she realized that she was absentmindedly holding her breath. Her heart beat uncontrollably inside her chest, and her hands shook and quivered. The four knights of the Citadel rode so close to her that she could have stretched her arm out and tapped them on the shoulder. They had similar lost expressions of fear and anxiety as they escorted their Princess back to the safety of the stone warden fortress of Akkala. The fog that complacently held its ground on the mainland still concealed the truth of what was happening but a few miles away. _We have to move faster. They would never be able to see the destruction of Tarrey Town through this accursed fog._ She kicked Hansel in the side with the heel of her boots, pushing her white stallion to the limits of his well-trained muscles. She could feel tears welling under her eyes as dread filled the place of fleeting disbelief in her heart, a harsh wake up call to reality. They charged forward through Shadow Pass, riding further up the mountain path, eventually coming within sight of the lowest tiers of the Akkal Citadel. They reached the first gate house, and the watchmen anxiously peered over the edge of their battlements before ordering the gate to be opened for their Princess.

"Sound the alarm! Tarrey Town is under siege!" Zelda had finally found her voice, and with all the courage she could muster, she commanded her loyal knights to toll the bells of war, calling out to the might and strength of the six-hundred men of the Citadel. She shouted her command again as they passed through the gatehouse, never slowing their pace. "Sound the alarm, gather your arms and armor!" Seeing and hearing the frightened pleas of their fair Princess, the soldiers of the Keep began shouting and bustling about their posts, loudly ringing the bells of emergency, and blowing on the large horns that penetrated the thick mist that enveloped their base.

Zelda rode to the front gate, leaping down from her horse, and sprinted through the maze of walkways and bridges deep within the Keep. Her four knights ran closely behind her, shouting down over the railings and corridors, alerting their comrades below. They proceeded to the Citadel elevator, finding that Lord Aron had already descended, and outstretched his open hand to the Princess as he met them halfway.

"What has happened, my lady!?"

"Tarrey Town is under siege from the eastern sea. Hundreds of warships hide the in the deep fog!" She struggled to shout her words through her gasping breaths.

"What!?" The fair lord's eyebrows slanted in utter fear, and his open mouth released a quiet whimper.

"Lord Aron! There is no time. Send out a detachment of your cavalry to help the escaping villagers immediately!"

Lord Aron clamped his jaw shut, striking forward in a long and determined gait. He began to escort the Princess back to the elevator, while shouting orders to the knights that followed her. "Sergeant Clarin, go and find Commander Nell and Captain Morint. Tell them to meet me in the War Room immediately."

"Yes sir!" with a quick salute, the Sergeant turned back, and delved into the lower levels of the Citadel in search of his officers.

"Lord Aron, what will we do?" she asked with fearful eyes.

"First, I'm taking you to the safety of the peak, then I will return and gather our full strength, to beat back these attackers!"

She halted her steps, pulling against Lord Aron's firm grip, heeding Link's words before they parted. "No! We can never hope to beat them in a show of strength on the open battlefield! They potentially outnumber our men ten to one!"

"And stand idly by as they slaughter our people!?" He snapped back with a vicious and cold voice.

"Of course not, but ̶ "

"No! I will not let that happen. I will destroy these vile invaders to the last man."

"Lord Aron we know too little about these attackers, we can't risk pitting our full forces against them outside the safety of the Citadel. We must focus our efforts first on evacuating the surrounding villages, and send small rescue groups to save any villagers that have escaped from Tarrey Town."

"There is no time! I have full faith in our army's abilities, we will be victorious."

"You're not listening to me!" With a firm hand, she pulled his shoulder back so that he would stop and listen. "It will be faster to ready small regiments of your fastest riders to send aid to the surviving villagers, if there are any. Please Lord Aron, their lives depend upon it."

With a bitter scowl, the young lord ignored her pleas, pulling her up onto the elevator. "Where is your Appointed Knight?"

"He left us to go rescue as many villagers as he can…"

"He abandoned you, my lady!? He abandoned his duty!?" Lord Aron's expression changed from worry to anger.

"No, of course not, Lord Aron. He left me in the capable hands of _your_ knights so that he could possibly save the innocent lives in Tarrey Town," she scoffed, amazed that he would even dare to assume that Link would just abandon his duty.

"How could he be so reckless!? Now is not the time for useless heroics; deserting his one and only responsibility! He will face just punishment for his infringement." With an angered grunt Lord Aron stepped down from the elevator and closed the gate behind him. Looking to the three knights that were still glued to Zelda's side he ordered them to escort her to the peak, and keep her safe up there. "I swear to you Princess, I will make these invaders pay."

"Lord Aron, don't do this!" Before she could step out in protest, one of the knights pulled the center lever, elevating them at a slow and steady pace. As Lord Aron turned on his heel, she hopelessly shouted down to him: "At least send word immediately to Zoras Domain, and the Eldin Provinces, warn them of the attack. And call for my father's aid! Send your fastest Rito couriers!"

"I will, my lady!"

* * *

The world passed him in a blur of greens and greys as he surged forward as fast as he could spur Zeno to gallop. The first farmhouse he happened upon was already in flames, and he could see its family sprawled out in the open field, soaking the dirt with a deep crimson red. _No time. Keep going._ He was too late to save them, as their attackers had already began making their way further to the center of town. He looked to his left, briefly approximating the initial size of the force that had landed on the Rist Peninsula. _Three hundred. Maybe more. But there's thousands more of them on those other warships._ Far to the south he could see a band of barbaric warriors setting fire to a small cottage, dragging its inhabitants back, either cutting their throats, or throwing them into the flames. Anger surged through his body as he screamed out in a might war cry, charging head first into the band of warriors, swinging his sword low, killing the lightly armored savages where they stood. From his right eye, he could see a dark-haired warrior dragging a screaming and writhing woman by her hair, laughing maliciously as he drew his arm back to kill his prey. Link leapt from his horse, painfully tackling the warrior to the ground, and drove his sword through his chest, watching warrior scream in pain before his head fell back lifelessly. The woman he saved wept in terror as she knelt, screaming out in agony, hopelessly crawling to her dead family. With his enemies slain, Link turned his attention to free a screeching horse from the lean-to stable that was being consumed by flames, intent on leading it to the single survivor. He winced in pain as he drew near the flames, and the black smoke burned his eyes. Regardless, he held his breath and squinted his eyes as he broke open the wooden fence that trapped the horse, and led the frightened animal to the lone survivor.

"Come on, get up… Do you know how to get to the Citadel from here? By the western path?" With a quivering lip and cascading tears, the village woman nodded. "Get on the horse. Go. As fast as you can."

"But ̶ my family…" The battered woman wailed and wept as Link carried her in his arms, throwing her up and over onto the horse's back.

"I'm sorry. They're gone…" Pain quaked in his heart, as he was struck with pity for the woman. However, there was no time for mourning, she had to leave, for her own safety. Link slapped the horse's hindquarters, sending it into a blistering sprint, as the woman held onto its mane with shaking hands, steering it to the western road, moaning in paralyzing anguish.

Link leapt back unto Zeno, following his northern projection. Every farm he passed was already in flames, and he knew he was likely too late to save anyone, but still he trudged on, hunting down any band of savages that ravaged his people, only managing to successfully save two other Hylians. The two he saved were so distraught and shocked that they could not thank him, or make any sense of what had happened, sufficing to only ride out to safety. Any and every enemy he met, he viciously slew them with hatred in his heart, and the crippled and failed beneath his fury and righteous anger. He eventually came upon a fork in the road, one path leading to the Citadel through the Torin Wetlands, and the other continued on to the heart of Tarrey Town. He galloped down the left path, towards the center of Tarrey Town, until he was met with a force of men that not even he could hope to beat alone. He bolted off the beaten path, taking cover behind a stone wall near another burning cottage, and watched in horror as a group of ten warriors brutalized the body of the last remaining guard of the fire swept town. Even though Link never met the petrified knight that laid motionless and defiled in the mud, his very core convulsed in suffering and anger; he was one of his many brothers-in-arms, his kinsmen, and he died at the hands of wild men, all while they laughed and chanted in a guttural language, as more of their comrades joined in kicking, and spitting on the lifeless body. _I'm too late! Too late!_ He repeated the words to himself over and over again, grinding his teeth, withholding the tears of hatred within himself as he helplessly watched his comrade's body be torturously dishonored. He peered to his right, seeing that the plateau of Tarrey Town was engulfed in flames, and his heart sank as the reality hit him; every single innocent soul that lived in that village either burned, or was killed and brutalized in the same fashion that his shield-brother was.

 _Enough! No more!_ He turned his horse back to the road, unflinching and ready to charge the horde of unaware enemies that gathered a few hundred yards away in the cobblestone streets of the once bustling and peaceful town. With his sword drawn, and the crushing weight of absolute failure on his heart, he aimed his horse to the center of the barbaric forces, ready to die in the pursuit of killing as many of the three hundred warriors that shouted victory chants in the hot burning flames of his people's homes. He bent his legs out, ready to kick his heels into Zeno's side when suddenly a faint and desperate voice called out to him.

"Please… help," the womanly voice wept. "Save her." Link snapped his head to his right, searching for voices bearer. From the shattered window of a fire enveloped and collapsing cottage he saw the slender form of an outstretched arm. He jumped down from his horse, sprinting to the small opening, and grabbed onto the dainty hand. Through the blinding smoke he saw a Gerudo woman, with dark olive skin and bright red hair, gasping for air, as she was surrounded on all sides by debris and fire. Tucked under her other arm was a small girl, seemingly no older than five years of age, who was the perfect likeness to her dark-skinned mother.

"Please! Save my sweet baby," she pleaded in a thick accent. "Save my little vai"

Seeing that the only door way to the cottage was already collapsed and engulfed in fire, Link spoke loud enough that they could hear him, but took care not to alert the nearby warriors. "Cover your head, I'm going to break the window in." When she complied with his order, he used his elbow to break away what remained of the shattered wood and glass window before holding his open arms out through the window, not even having enough room fit his shoulders through. He felt the woman pass along her weeping child as she coughed and thrashed in fear. Link quickly pulled the helpless girl from the flames, setting her down in safely outside the cottage before running back to help the mother. He stretched his arms in again, reaching for the hands of the Gerudo woman when suddenly the ashen ceiling above caved in, crushing woman and his right arm. Pain shot up his arm and he tried to pull it free from the fiery timber, feeling it sear and burn his skin.

"No no no!"

He drove his hands back in, pushing past the pain, trying to wrench the woman free as her high-pitched and haunting screeches pierced his ears. His attempts of rescue were futile, as what remained of the cottage collapsed inwards, ending her deafening cries. Link fell backwards, stumbling on the ashen debris of the cottage, grunting in pain. His eyes burned and tears streamed down his cheeks. _No. I'm too late. Always too late._ He looked away from the atrocity before him, seeing the expression of complete helplessness and devastation on the weeping child's face. _I can still save her daughter._

With a shattered and aching heart, he stood, sweeping up the waling child in his arms as he remounted Zeno. The Gerudo child tried to claw her way out from his grip, weeping for her mother, but he held her tightly, trying to soothe and comfort her. He spurred Zeno into a gallop and turned back, heading down the road that cut through the Torin Wetlands when he realized that he was being pursued by a single rider, who donned a bone-hewn bow. His pursuer appeared to be well trained on horseback, as he rode the stolen horse without a saddle or reins, effortlessly unleashing arrows from its back. The arrows whizzed past, each one drawing closer to its target. Link tucked the girl in the crook of his arm, shielding her from the attacks as he desperately kicked Zeno to run faster. The girl whimpered and screamed as a hail storm of arrows flew past.

"Hush, little lamb! I will keep you safe." Her ceaseless crying did not suppress with his words of comfort. No matter how hard he kicked, Zeno could not push himself any faster as arrow after arrow came closer to its mark. Without warning, Zeno reared back, screeching in pain as an arrow buried its self in his left thigh. His horse tripped and toppled over, pining Link to the ground as it fell. He felt his head strike the ground, and the world around him went black for a moment. When he regained consciousness, he realized the Gerudo child was no longer in his arms, but a few yards away, running in a dazed stumble until their pursuer caught up and leapt down from his horse. With all his might Link tried to free his pinned leg, thrashing wildly as his horse writhed in pain.

The bowman who chased them down snatched the young Gerudo girl in his bare arm, producing a thin jagged dagger from his belt, and held it to her neck. Link watched in horror as the girl squirmed helplessly, petrified and crying, screaming as she reached out to Link. He kicked and fought to break free from the weight of his horse's body, eventually pulling his leg out, but he was too late.

"Dravelbratin unt Gerudavin-vatin," the warrior said in a crooked tongue. A wicked smile stretched across the his mouth as he flashed his beady eyes. With a quick pull of the blade, the warrior's steel slit the crying girl's throat, and blood spilled everywhere. The barbarian let the girl go, and her body fell freely to his side.

Link's heart burst in his chest, and time stood still from his perspective. Never before had he been so enraged and yet so utterly destroyed. He could feel every muscle in his body revolt and surge with energy. Deep within himself he felt as if some intangible force snapped, unleashing a shockwave of emotion that he had never before experience with such intensity and concetration. As he stumbled forward from his downed position, he felt for the sword on his hip, but did not find it, it must have fallen from its sheath during the fall. The warrior did not stand from his knelt position, he only outstretching his arms, taunting the young knight to fight him. With a scream that could have torn his vocal cords, Link charged forward and tackled the barbarian, taking precise movement to block the incoming stab. He pinned him to the ground and began to unleash a torrent of malice filled fists on the warrior's face, feeling the savage's facial bones shatter beneath his hand, tearing the skin on his knuckles.

"Fuck you!"

 _Strike._

"I will kill each,"

 _Strike._

"and every one of your people!"

 _Strike._

"I will spare no soul,"

 _Strike._

"I will show no mercy,"

 _Strike._

"until you monsters have paid the blood price for your crimes!"

 _Strike._

The warrior tried to free his arm to jab at Link with his dagger, as the young knight continued to unleash his fury, but he drove his knee down into his forearm, wrenching the dagger from his hand before shoving it into his throat. Link watched as the life drained from his enemy, gazing into his open eyes, to watch every terrible moment of his demise. The warrior's eyes were so dark and black that he could not distinguish iris from pupil, until, without explanation, they changed colors. When the barbarians head fell back lifelessly on the soft earth beneath him, deep grey, not black, eyes stared up into the sky, and a single tear rolled down his right red and swollen, almost unrecognizable face.

After a brief pause, Link finally let go of his dead enemy, and crawled over to the Gerudo child, pulling her up into his arms. Dead amber eyes looked up at him as he held his hand around the open gash on her throat. Blood covered his hands and arms, soaking the front of his tunic, but he did not notice, nor did he care. He could not hold his tears back as his lip quivered and whimpered.

"I'm so sorry little lamb… I failed… I could not save your mother… I could not save you…" He buried his face into the innocent child's red hair, rocking her lifeless body back and forth, sobbing. Zeno screeched in pain not far from him, and so he pulled himself away from his despairing embrace and gently laid the child down on the wet grass before standing and pulled the arrow from his horse's thigh, sending it into a frenzied squeal. After finding his sword laying in the wet grass, he opened his saddle bag and pulled out his wool blanket, wrapping the child in it before he bent down, and picked her up, holding her in the bend of his left arm. He carefully pulled himself up into the saddle with his free hand, and spurred his injured horse into a light gallop. Zeno limped, resisted, and stumbled as he trekked forward, but he remained every faithful, and carried his heartbroken master away through the wetlands. Luckily, it seemed that his pursuer was the only warrior that saw him, and so he escaped without being followed further.

"I promise, little lamb, I will avenge you and your family. And all of the innocent dead in Tarrey Town." His chest burnt and ached with grief and sickness, ready to give up and turn his horse back to die in a hopeless battle, outnumbered three-hundred to one. _No. I have to keep going. For her. I can't avenge her if I'm dead,_ he grunted to bit his tongue, finding relief in the pain as he hardened his heart, and fortified his determination, painting a mental picture of how he would destroy his enemies to the last man. They would learn that invading his land meant certain death; that murdering his people would only end in their own blood, that his shield-brothers would not so easily crumble, but would instead only grow stronger together, bearing down on them with their spears and swords, unhindered by fear, unshaken and unbroken. His absolute conviction was all that he found comfort in now, and so he clung to it like the last beacon of light within the abyssal confines of his heart. His tears ceased, and he tightened his grip around the innocent Gerudo child in his arm, taking a silent oath of unobstructed retribution.

* * *

Zelda paced back and forth alongside the railing that overlooked the lower tiers of the Citadel, having changed back into her travel gear. _Enough of this. I am their Princess. They will follow my orders or I will force my way out._

"I demand to be let go!"

"I can't, my lady. Lord Aron instructed us to keep you safe up here."

With an angered scowl, the Princess surged forward and came face to face with the knight. "I am your Princess, direct descendant of the King and Queen, and heir of the throne. I outrank Lord Aron. You will follow my orders, or I will take matters into my own hands." The knight stood in front of her obstinately, unaffected by her attempts at intimidation.

"Very well." Zelda called forth the power within her, and pushed the knight aside with all the strength she had before forming a barrier around him and his comrades, locking them inside. The knight banged on the magical barrier with an angered fist as he pleaded for his Princess to stop, but she could not understand his muffled voice. She maintained the barrier, and stepped onto the elevator before pulling the lever with a triumphant and mocking smile. She did not release the knights until she was halfway down the elevator shaft, peering up as she saw and heard them call out to her from above. _I will not stand idly by. I may not be able to go to war, but I can help tend to any survivors._

When she reached the bottom of the elevator shaft, she witnessed the jumbling mess of hysteria of the Citadel as knights ran back and forth, bearing their armor and weapons, reporting to their designated positions. The majority of the Citadel's forces were already amassing outside, awaiting their orders to march. One-hundred Cavalrymen, two-hundred Infantry, and one-hundred arches were called out. The remaining two-hundred knights remained within the walls of the Citadel, to man the terraces and battlements, preparing the machines of war. Zelda could not find the Lord of the Citadel, and so she instead spent her energy on finding any survivors that could have made it to the Citadel either on foot or by horse. Through every heart pounding moment, she feared for Link's safety, unsure of what to even do to help him, if he was even alive at that point. She was forced to push aside her emotions as a small band of survivors entered the Citadel, blackened by the ashen soot of fire-burned homes. With disturbed hearts and listless eyes, they responded to the Princess's beckoning, as she extended her nurturing arms to them, leading them to places of safety and set herself about assisting the few Citadel Physicians, tending to their wounds and devastated minds. Among their ranks were men, women, and children, many of which bore no relation to each other, as the invasion had robbed them of their families. A lone Zora was with them, her once proud and vibrant blue scales now muddied and covered in hues of black and brown dirt and ash. From the sky came two Rito, both of which had singed feathers and strained wings.

 _Is this all that survived?_ Her heart sank to her stomach, but she did not show it. With forbearance and determination, she kept a strong demeanor, hoping to bolster the morale of the few survivors.

"Did any of you see a blue-clad knight, with golden hair?" Most of the survivors shook their heads, but two Hylian's confirmed that they had with hesitant nods, and a third, who was a middle-aged woman spoke out in a shuttering and teary voice.

"Yes… He saved me…" She buried her wet eyes in her hands, fighting to hold back her sobbing. "He killed them… All of them… He avenged my family."

Zelda grabbed the shaking hands of the Hylian woman, and peered into her rich brown eyes. "Is he all right? Where did he go?"

"After he saved me, he rode further into town… I don't know if he survived."

Zelda thanked the woman, before continuing her care for the wounded, asking for any information about the attackers. Unfortunately, she could not glean any helpful information from them, other than the clear savagery of the foreign-tongued invaders. She kept a watchful eye over the remaining battle-shocked people of Tarrey Town, often glancing to the gate houses, praying to see the golden hair of her beloved knight. Her heart peaked wildly when she spotted a head of golden locks on horseback riding forth from the gate, but was quickly downturned when she saw the crimson red that stained the once proud, and vibrant light blue tunic of her Appointed Knight. Clutched in his arms was a small form, wrapped in the tight folds of a woolen blanket, which he carried with weary and reddened eyes. She ran forward as fast as her feet could take her, halting before her Knight's limping horse.

"Link! Are you all right?" He did not answer as he dismounted his injured horse, cradling the bloodied mass in his arms. "Link, are you bleeding? Talk to me."

His eyes were the only indicators of emotion, as they were sopping wet, but not a single tear fell from the brim of his eyelids. "No, my lady. I am fine." His voice was shot, and bore no emotion, but it was not the emotionlessness she had grown accustomed to. This was the voice of a man who had witnessed true horrors, and could not put into words the atrocities he had seen. She slowly stretched out her trembling hand, preparing to pull back the folds of the blanket, dreading what lay underneath. Before she could grab the fabric however, Link's bloody fingers clasped around her wrist. She looked into his glimmering and shattered eyes as his expression hardened.

"No, my lady. Don't."

"Link…"

"I can't…"

His grip subconsciously tightened and she pulled her hand away in pain. Without another word he turned away, walking straight for the nearby physician. Zelda watched from the distance as the physician drew back a corner of the blanket, revealing the fiery red hair of a Gerudo girl. Zelda jolted back, horrified by the lifeless child that was clutched in his arms. There was just so much blood. She covered her gaping mouth as pained tears poured from her eyes, and she turned away, unable to even look at the horrendous sight. She forced herself to look back as Link begrudgingly handed off the lifeless child that he held as if it were his own, placing his hand on her covered head one last time before heartlessly pulling away. Every muscle in his face was tense as he strode forward with a glower that could have made a mountain crumble.

"Link! Link! Stop. Where are you going?"

He did not stop, and so she chased after him. "To the armory," he finally answered. Zelda grabbed his arm, ceasing his advance, but she could not form words, faltering under his penetrating gaze.

"Why!?"

"I am ill prepared. I need armor, my lady."

"Ill prepared for what!?"

"We are at war, my lady. This tunic will not suffice." He tugged at the collar of his blood drenched tunic as he turned back, pulling himself from her grip, and continued forward. She followed behind him, desperately trying to think of something to say, feeling utterly helpless.

"What do you plan to do?" She struggled to keep up with him, on several occasions having to jog just to catch up.

"I don't know."

"Link, just stop. Please! Tell me what happened."

Link's shoulders tensed up, stopping dead in his tracks, and glanced over his shoulder. "Please. Not now, my lady." The sincerity in his pained and pleading voice drove a cold dagger in her heart, as his solemn eyes revealed more to her then all the words ever spoken across a lifetime. His eyebrows shifted slightly, and then he looked away before continuing his march. She followed in silence, listlessly staring at him as he removed his sword, pauldrons, and blood drenched tunic, obviously not caring that his Princess watched in the open armory. His chainmail rattled as he pulled over a new tunic made of hard dark leather, cinching down the straps and buckles that were arranged from chest to waist. He donned his pauldrons again, and then restrung his sword around his hip.

"My lady. Where is Lord Aron?" His voice was urgent, but unfeeling.

"I don't know. He said something about the War Room, but I don't know where that is."

"I need to find him. He has to know what were up against. More invaders surely have landed already." At this statement, he dutifully gestured for her to follow him, to which she readily agreed. After authoritatively speaking to a handful of knights, he located where the War Room was situated, and they briskly walked to the upper eastern tier of the Citadel together.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not forget the horrifying image of the dead Gerudo girl that he so tenderly held in his arms. With every fiber in her body she wished she could forget the way her lifeless eyes stared up into the sky, the way her limp arm hung down, the profuse amounts of blood that had stained every inch of her chest and neck. He tried to spare her from seeing such a nightmare, and yet she foolishly ignored his pleas. _How? How is he so withheld? If I could just have a moment alone with him… I feel like I could burst at the seams, and yet he trudges on. How can I even possibly hope to begin to imagine how he feels?_ She shadowed his every step, endlessly examining him head to toe. His fingers were covered in dry blood, and his knuckles were torn and bleeding, but everything else seemed okay. Everything except his face. His eyebrows were downturned and creased, and the thin muscles in his jaw stuck out. With every deep and steady breath his nostrils flared slightly, and his nose occasionally scrunched or twitched. Every step he took almost twice her gait, and his feet struck the ground in loud thumps. This was no longer his disguise of the silent loyal knight, this was the silent brooding of a man willing to do anything and everything to see justice served, not matter the cost. Zelda was torn between two stances on the matter. On one hand, his stride of determination was inspiring, but on the other, she feared for the humanity within him that was without a doubt under torturous scrutiny. Anger and hate had the power to change a man's heart, and she was terrified of the beast he possibly could become. The words of her mother came to her mind, when she was telling her about her battle with Calamity Ganon.

" _It was then that it I finally realized that I would never win It's game; hatred, malice, contempt, these were its playthings. Your father. My kingdom, my home. The love that first awoke the power within me, was also the same love that allowed me to let go of my hatred, and instead banish the beast that haunted me."_

 _"It is a feeling I fear only comes with great loss, a feeling that words cannot describe."_

 _Is this the great loss she speaks of? Is this the beginning of His return?_ The revelation brought a tremor of fear, and she drew herself closer to her Appointed Knight, the boy who was destined to take up the Sword of Evil's Bane, even though he did not know it yet. She stretched her hand forward absentmindedly, about to grab his quivering hand, but she stopped herself, remembering his painful rejection of companionship.

She did not have time to thoroughly explore the situation, as they had come upon the entrance to the War Room. Two guards stood watch, denying Link entry. He opened his mouth, about to explain his need for entry, but Zelda stepped in front.

"You will let us enter. My Appointed Knight has crucial information of the invaders." With a sudden jolt of energy, after realizing who she was, the knights bowed and gestured for them to enter. Around a large wooden table stood three men. At the head was Lord Aron, who was leaning his hands on the table, and to his left and right stood a gray-haired commander, and a dark-skinned Akkalan captain. Their collective heads looked up from the regional map that was pinned down on the table, which had a number of tokens placed strategically on it. The Commander and Captain bowed graciously when she entered.

"Princess Zelda. What are you doing down here!?"

"I am taking matters in my own hands, Lord Aron." The Princess confidently strode forward, ready to stand her ground. "As I was sure he would, Link has returned from the front line and has the most relevant and important intelligence on the invasion."

Lord Aron removed his hand from the table, and crossed his arms with a pompous glower. "Forgive me for my stern words, my lady, but as far as I am aware your Appointed Knight abandoned his duty! In war times, that is a crime punishable by flogging, or in extreme cases; death." The fair lord sneered through his teeth, visibly irritated by the intrusion.

"And you will do neither, Lord Aron!" Her raised voice echoed in the large round chamber. "I do not claim to be a military strategist, but I at least have then sensibility to not threaten my only source of information with beatings or death! The words rolled off her tongue with such a harsh and condescending tone that even she was surprised. "Besides, he did not abandon his duty, he did exactly what any brave and loyal knight would do."

"I agree with our Princess, Lord Aron. If this boy has any information on the attack we should hear what he has to say." Commander Nell's voice was calm and collected, bearing the air of wisdom and intelligence. With a kind smile, the broad-shouldered officer beckoned for Link to speak up.

From the corner of the table, Link took calculated steps forward, rearranging the tokens that were set upon the map before speaking in a low and strong voice. "The majority of our enemy's forces were still aboard their ships off the eastern coast. Now I only had a brief glimpse, but I estimate that there are easily three-hundred ships or more." With a trembling hand, he pulled three tokens over to the eastern sea. "I cannot say for certain how many men can fit on each ship, but judging from the size of their boats, their numbers could easily reach thirty-thousand strong, if not more. The initial force took their landing boats to the Rist Peninsula, with a detachment of approximately three-hundred men, and ransacked the entirety of Tarrey Town and the surrounding farms and farmhouses. They've set fire to every building on the eastern plains, and the Lake Akkala Plateau is engulfed in flames." Link paused for a moment, and drew in a deep and shuttered breath before continuing. "Despite my best efforts I could only save a handful of townsfolk… But with a heavy heart, I'm afraid we must accept that very few people survived. The fog that blocks our view is the same fog that prevented them from seeing the invading fleet sooner. They had no time to escape."

The room grew quiet with the hard-hitting news. "What of their forces? What kind of military capabilities do they poses? What do they look like?" The bright-eyed captain turned to face Link head on.

"They do not wear very much armor, and their weapons seem a tad archaic, but they are brutish and skilled enemies, relying on horde tactics to overwhelm and kill their prey. Against trained soldiers, I cannot say how they will act, but I know for certain that they are a force to be reckoned with." The room once again grew quiet, and the ponderous expressions fell on each individual, except for Lord Aron, who simmered in frustration.

"This is grave news." Commander Nell looked up to the young knight across from him and examined him with a critical eye. "What is your opinion on the situation? You've seen all this first hand, what is your take on it? What do you think we should do?"

"I have no doubt that the remainder of their forces now amass on the eastern shore. Should my estimations be true, the Citadel is out numbered fifty-to-one. We stand no chance of beating them on the open field, but if we remain within our walls, we may be able hold them off long enough to wait for aid to come from Zoras Domain, the Eldin Provinces, and from Hyrule Castle."

"How do we know they will attack the Citadel? What if they try to find another way through?" Lord Aron stroked his chin as he scrutinized Link's advice.

"Nothing is for certain, but unless they sail south and try to invade from the Necluda or Faron sea, which I doubt they will since there are very few harbors that they could unload quickly at, and the cliffsides are too steep, then the only other way to reach the center of Hyrule is through the Citadel, or around the treacherous backside of the Eldin Provinces. Again, I find that to also be unlikely, as it would take too long to move a force of that size around the sharp and craterous terrain surrounding Death Mountain, especially if they have siege machines." Link delivered his report with such confidence and accuracy that both Commander Nell, and Captain Morint nodded in strategic agreement.

"Have you sent word to the surrounding areas, and to my father?" Zelda asked with a stern and tempered voice.

"Yes, of course, my lady," replied Lord Aron with a hint of annoyance. He opened his mouth to continue, but was suddenly cut off when a courier entered the room.

"My lord! The fog is lifting! Tarrey Town is in flames, and thousands of enemies are marching our way from both Kaepora Pass, and through the Torin Wetlands. Some of them have already passed of the Akkala Falls!"

"Captain Morint, have your engineers open fire on the southern pass. We will reinforce the gatehouses and hopefully stop their advance." Both Commander Nell and Captain Morint stomped out of the War Room in a hurry, sending couriers left and right to inform their lieutenants.

"Dammit!" Lord Aron exclaimed. He strode out of the room with clenched fists, speaking over his shoulder as he left. "Princess, it is too late and dangerous for you to leave I'm afraid. The enemy is already at our gate." He halted briefly and glared at Link as he addressed him directly. "Leave her side again and I will have you belted. Ensure that the Princess is safe within the Keep, understood?"

"Yes, Lord Aron." Link's response was unapologetic, but not out of turn or rude. However, for reasons Zelda could not understand, the order seemed to disgruntle Link. Soon it was just Zelda and her Appointed Knight standing in silence, alone.

Struggling to find words to say, Zelda fidgeted before speaking to her absentminded knight. "Don't worry. I would never let him whip you…" The statement fell awkwardly from her lips, and she cursed her lack of comfortability. Link did not respond, seemingly so lost in thought that he did not hear her. "Link?"

He snapped out of his trance-like state. "Forgive me, my lady…" He trailed off, struggling to stay attentive. He forcefully blinked a few times and his eyes were hard pressed to focus. Zelda examined him again, concerned for his seemingly delicate state. He held his hands out in front of him, observing them tremble slightly. Zelda cast aside all previous fears of rejection and grabbed ahold of his bloody palms. He did not shy away, or pull back, he only listlessly stared at the ground, as if unaware of her presence, a complete reversal of the confidence he displayed just moments before.

"Come. Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

 _Blood. Blood-water. I can't get them clean._ Link scrubbed and scrapped his hands, struggling to remove the red from his skin. The basin of water was turning redder by the second and his heart raced faster as it water appeared more viscous and gory, as if her blood had come back to haunt him. His immediate task was complete, Lord Aron and the officers of the Citadel had been warned, but he was ordered to stay back from the battle, denied the chance for vengeance, and now he had nothing to distract his mind from wandering back to the nightmare that replayed in his mind. The ear-piercing scream, the smile on the warrior's face as he slit the girls throat. It all came back in horrifyingly real images. He viciously rubbed his hands together, further opening the splits in his knuckles, and his breathing grew desperate, and he whimpered with wet eyes. _Failure! Failure!_ The voice repeated. He pushed past the pain, and scrubbed away, until his skin felt raw, but he did not stop.

"Link!" He jumped at her voice. When he looked down at his hands again, he realized she was holding them. He quickly pulled away, remembering his place.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I'm just having a hard time getting them clean."

"Link stop. You're hurting yourself. Just look at your knuckles."

"I need to get rid of her blood ̶ "

"Her blood is gone… It's only yours now."

He cursed himself. _Stop. Control yourself! Think about something else._ He focused first on controlling his breathing, then stopped the trembling in his hands. He hardened his heart again, regaining his composure. "Forgive me, my lady."

"Link, it's okay… Just talk to me."

"What questions may I answer, my lady?" He dipped his head dutifully, trying to convince himself that he was fine.

"I'm not looking for answers. I just want you to talk. Speak your mind. Anything."

"I have nothing of note to say, my lady."

"Link! I saw who you held in your arms. I saw her lifeless face, and I trembled in fear. How can you say you have nothing of note to say?"

The images surged back into his mind and he instinctively closed his eyes, bearing down on his teeth. _Knife. Blood. Death. No, stop! Stay strong. Failure! Failure!_ A tear escaped his creased eyelids and he turned away, reaching out for the door handle. A golden light flashed before him, and it blocked his path. His Princess held her palm out, and the Triforce glowed brilliantly on her hand. He backed against the barrier, feeling the warmth against him. _No. You can't. We are at war. War causes death. That's just how it is. You didn't even know her name. Or her mother's name. Goddess, her eyes; she watched as I failed, and she paid the price for my failure._ It was just as real in his mind as it was when he first saw it. Her outreached arms, begging for his help, the tears, and the screaming, then nothing. Her dead eyes opened again and stared directly into his. ' _How could you let me die?'_ she asked in a voice softer than a summer breeze. He closed his eyes again, feeling the unstoppable droplets roll down his cheeks. _Coward! You can't even hold it together! A useless knight. You are unfit for service as a coward, worthy of only torment and spite._

Delicate arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his head down. A soft hand was cupped against the back of his head, and another wrapped under his arm, slowly stroking his back. He gave up. He could no longer hold it back, and he fell into the embrace, holding her tightly in his arms. His face was buried in the crook of her neck as she gently rocked back and forth as he sobbed.

"I failed her. I can't get it out of my head. I watched as he slit her throat as I couldn't even stand up. Too late. Just like I was too late for my father."

"Look at me." Zelda held his face with her hands, seeing that tears were in her eyes as well. "You did everything you could. I have never met another knight more dedicated, or more loyal than you. You can't blame yourself for this. Those evil men came to our home, to our people. They are the ones to blame, not you." Zelda wrapped her arms around him again and he could feel her embrace tighten.

"I can't stop thinking about her face ̶ "

"Listen to me. Breath, just breath."

He followed her instructions, as she hummed a mysterious tune quietly. The apparitions in his mind began to fade, and soon he regained his composure, but he did not let go for a while longer. He reveled in her warmth and comfort a little longer, feeling the softness of her hair against his ear, and the soothing fingers that gently caressed his head. However, the brief moment of peace was interrupted as the voice in his head returned, ordering him to let go, and so he begrudgingly did, revolting at yet another moment of failure.

"Thank you, my lady."

A kind smile stretched across her lips. "When we're alone, you can just call me Zelda. Okay?"

Link bit the inside of his cheek as he almost answered that he would, but his returning senses forbade him to do so. Despite knowing that it would disappoint or upset her, he replied: "I'm sorry, my lady. I can't."

She opened her mouth to try to change his mind when without warning, an explosive boom rattled the furniture of the room that they were in at the peak of the Citadel. They stared at each other wide-eyed for a moment before running outside, and peered over the southern edge. On the southern pass was a great wave of warriors, bearing some strange siege machine that was firing great fiery balls of explosives upon the Citadel, breaking down terraces and battlements, and leaving great craters in the stone walls. The engineers manning the machines of war began to unleash an onslaught of bolts and boulders on the cliffside, slaying a great number. However, for every man they killed, more poured in to take their spot. The siege for the Citadel had begun, and Link could not even fight alongside his shield-brothers.


	19. The Singing Steel

_Chapter nineteen, The Singing Steel_

He drew in air through his long nose. The very atmosphere was rank with fear and death, but there was something more, and he could sense it.

"It's almost time. I can feel _It._ I can feel them." The Master turned his head as a crooked smile stretched across his face. The restrained soldier trembled and whimpered, knelt on the ground, and surrounded by three dark and faceless figures.

"Please," he cried. "Just end my misery." The battered soldier wept and sobbed pathetically, and the Master reveled in every second of the soldier's anguish. With a cold and collected demeanor he stooped down to the soldier's eyes, tilting his shrouded head.

"I must admit, my little friend, your ceaseless quivering is quite amusing to watch. It's been rather dreary and boring cooped up on the sea for so long. Even when we docked on nearby islands to resupply and scout out your land, I grew anxious to get on with it. But I remained patient, and now you can see the fruits of my labor." His arm stretched out to the dying embers of the ashen village. "I observed your people very closely for months, and I have now come to find that you are a much more enjoyable, and entertaining race when you're struck with paralyzing fear." The Masters face drew so close to the soldiers that he could feel the warmth of his breath. "Don't worry, you will be my first honored guest. I would love to hear all about what makes your little minds tick… And break. Think of your position as a―how to put this―seat warmer, for someone much more special." An amused chuckle fell from his mouth before he stood back up, leaving the hopeless soldier to wallow in self-pity.

" _Eik val untyine, Kivitzar_." The voice of the left most figure was deep, shattered almost, and wispy, bearing almost no resemblance to a Hylian voice.

"As I'm sure you are. However, we must wait a little longer." The Master strode forward, clasping his long cold fingers behind his back as he looked up to the fire sieged Citadel miles away. "Tell them to keep wasting time. Put on a little show for them, maybe even bolster their spirits, before we crush them… when the time comes." Without another word, all three figures vanished in a cloud of swirling black mist, leaving to fulfill their masters command.

"Come now. I'm ready to get started. Are you?"

A solitary scream echoed through the silent town as the helpless soldier was dragged away to some dark corner of a time-torn realm.

The warriors now bore shields on their right arms, forming a barrier between them and the never-ending onslaught of bolts and boulders that were laid down on them. The strange metal cast machines that they dragged across the road lobed large fiery ammunition up to the Citadel, breaking stone and setting fires, but it did not cause their downfall. The barbarians set about bringing a battering ram to the front gate, as they were kept safe from archers by a metal domed roof attached to their siege machine. With every swing of the ram the warriors screamed ' _Havintel, havintel, havintel unt Brai.'_ Strike after strike, the ram did not break through, and so the Hylians cheered as the wicked men failed to breach the southern gate. With rekindled constitutions, they bolstered their hearts and increased their downpour of arrows, killing their enemy by the score. Relentlessly, their enemy trudged on, returning with arrows of their own, killing but only a handful of Hylians, and injuring a number more.

The Princess and her knight watched in horror filled awe as the war raged on. From the safety of the tallest peak, they peered down below as men no larger than their smallest fingers ran back and forth, shouting and ordering, unleashing hell on both sides.

 _Boom!_

Another fiery explosion erupted on the walls, leaving behind shattered and crumbling stone.

 _Boom!_

One round whizzed over the wall, crashing into a wooden hut, setting it aflame. A detachment of men was sent to extinguish the flames with large buckets of water. Link stared down at the general direction that the fiery rounds came from, spotting one of the long metal cylindrical-shaped machines in the thick of the crowd.

 _Boom!_

He saw the flash of fire emanate from the barrel, hearing and seeing the ammunition it fired flying closer and closer. It was heading their direction. With a split-second reaction, he leapt back, grabbing the Princess by her waist, and pulled her away from the edge, covering her with his back. The round stuck the upper portion of the battlements, sending fiery rock and mortar into the air.

"Run, my lady! Back inside!" He grabbed her hand, and they sprinted back to the safety of the indoors. He instructed the few guards that were still at the peak to stay put, and ensure the safety of everyone inside while he set about securing the winding stairs that led up to the manor. As fast as his balance would permit, he sprinted down the stairs on the north side of the fortress, inspecting every gate and checkpoint he passed, ensuring that they locked behind him, and that the few guards would stand their ground. The rumble of the siege grew louder the further he descended, eventually taking a sharp left to enter the Keep. Soldiers sprinted left and right, carrying in the dead and wounded in a mad sprawl, as he made his way to the elevator. With every step his heart pounded with anger. It was not fair. He could not help his shield-brothers in battle, at least, not yet. And so, with a heavy soul he watched his kin wage war on the enemy he swore to kill, and yet could not spill a drop of their blood.

 _Not yet. Duty first._ Keeping a steady pace, he ran to the elevator, riding it to the peak, before securing it with the safety lock, and latched the gate closed. _The only way they can get up here now is either by the stairs, or by climbing the cliffside._ He hoped it would not come to that, for his Princess's sake, but he could not deny the rush of adrenaline he felt, imagining himself being the last line of defense, standing his ground on the only entrance to the peak, slaying his foes to the last man as they would funnel in. Every passing image of the Gerudo girl only brought anger and strife to him now, as he shunned and mocked his emotional break down earlier that evening. Cautiously, he approached the southern railing, and once again peered over the edge, watching the continuing siege from above as the sun set on the horizon.

A score of men from the Citadel Cavalry awaited on the other side of the south gate, mounted with long spears in hand, ready to charge the enemy that would thrust through their gate. However, much to their relief, they seemingly could not break down the heavy timber and steel gate that held back the hordes of the sea. The northern gate suffered similar treatment, receiving equally devastating attacks, until without warning, the split army withdrew in a frenzied retreat. The night had fallen upon the Citadel, however no man slept but in short, adrenaline-filled naps. Six-hundred men of the Citadel defended their keep from wild invaders, admittedly surprised by their own success against the disorganized hordes of thirty-thousand and counting. And thus, the first night of the siege ended in favor of the Hylian's, or so they hoped.

" _Was that it?"_ many men asked. " _It's all a ruse,"_ others would answer. Regardless, silence spread across the Keep, and their invaders seeped away into the dark of the night.

Zora soldiers were the first allies to arrive from the south, although their numbers were few, as they were not willing to leave their domain unguarded, especially now. The General of the Zoras brought words of encouragement and comradery from her king, standing true to oaths once sworn. The General listened with a heavy heart as she heard the news of Tarrey Town. With downturned fins she offered a moment of honorary silence for the innocent lives lost, promising to see a monument built in their names. Every soldier in the Citadel looked to the south, praying, and hoping that their valiant king would come to their aid, bringing the unbridled and mighty forces of Hyrule Castle with him, but as the moon rose higher in the night sky, their prayers were left unanswered for the time being.

There he stood for the better part of an hour, observing his comrades regroup and secure their positions. When the pale moonlight of the dark night beat down on Link's shoulders, and the loud sounds of war died out, he finally released his tight fists and tense shoulders, and turned away from the southern edge, entering the manor to check on his Princess. He was glad to hear that she was well, and was resting safely in her room. A servant offered to ask the Princess if she needed him, but he politely declined, not wanting to intrude or disturb her sleep. On top of that, the prospect of speaking to her after what had happened a few hours prior, made him feel uneasy, anxious, and ashamed. What would she say? What would he say; or more accurately, not say?

 _What if Lord Aron saw what you did? What if anyone saw what you did? What you did was weak, and despicable. Your shield-brothers are down there, bravely fighting the hordes of the sea, outnumbered and out armed, while you were crying like a damned baby up in the safety of the peak. Pathetic! Worthless!_ He cursed and scorned himself endlessly as he stood vigilant guard by the entrance to Zelda's room. Even when he ran out of curses to shout at himself, he continued to belittle his performance, as it served as the only distraction from what he desperately feared his mind would drift to.

"What is your business?" he asked when a lone knight entered the hallway, and stood in front of the door.

"Lord Aron has requested the Princess's immediate presence. The siege has ceased for the time being." The knight stood in opposition to Link, squinting his judgmental and skeptical eyes.

"She is resting," he responded, unintimidated by the knight's condescending attitude.

"It is urgent. Now step aside." The knight went to reach for the door handle, but Link's crushing grip latched around his wrist, and he relented.

"I will go. _You_ stay here." The knight glared at him, but did not openly protest his order. With a reluctant hand, he knocked on the door, but did not hear a reply. After a long pause he knocked once more, and again he heard no reply. The knight behind him sneered through his teeth, impatiently crossing his arms. After a small sigh, Link finally turned the handle and entered the room with timid steps, closing the door behind him. The idea of sending for one of the maids to come and wake her crossed his mind, but he doubted the knight would have waited for that long. With every step he felt more out of place and out of line. _I shouldn't be in here, it's not proper._ However, he reminded himself that they were at war, and somethings would just have to change. _War,_ he thought again, trembling briefly as he shot down the rising emotions surrounding the horrifying images that haunted his mind.

"My lady?" he asked quietly, seeing her slouched in a fine chair near a desk. On the desk was a slew of papers and a quill, the clear signs of report writing. The Princess's head was resting in her propped-up arm, and her eyes were drawn closed. Link reluctantly entered the room further, bringing himself before her. He outstretched a gentle hand and placed it on her shoulder, shaking it slightly to stir her from her sleep. She jumped a little, but quickly calmed herself when she realized it was just him.

"I'm sorry. What is it Link?"

"My lady, Lord Aron has summoned you. He says its urgent."

"Oh. Thank you. I'll be right there." Her eyes were tired and red, and her voice was groggy, but she stirred herself and stood.

"Of course, my lady. I'll be waiting outside." He bowed, then turned to leave until she stopped him.

"It's okay. Stay. I will only be a minute." Her order made him a little uncomfortable, but he did as she requested and took his post by the door, holding his eyes away, growing more critical of his previous failure to remain stoic and stalwart with every passing moment.

 _It won't happen again. Not even if she traps me in a barrier. I will not relent again._ Every second that had passed only made him feel more tense and anxious. The Princess was straightening her jacket, and adjusting her hair slightly in the mirror, ensuring that she looked presentable. Absentmindedly, his eyes fell upon her, and he watched her fidget and fuss over the roughness of her appearance. _She would look beautiful no matter wha―_ he cut the thought short. He could not remember the last time he allowed such an idea pass his mind, and he grew angry with himself. He averted his eyes, fighting off the attractions that he had forbidden himself to feel. _Get over it,_ the voice said to him. _Why do you even struggle with this anymore? You're not growing stronger. You're getting weaker, starting with your abhorrent break down earlier. Shame on you!_ He agreed with the voice, allowing the venomous words to seep in, hoping that it might harden him. _It's good that you had to watch it happen, you deserved to watch her die._ Shock overtook him, andhis stomach physically lurched. A great rage fell upon his mind as he turned his will against the voice. _How dare you! How dare you say that!_ His fists tightened and his chest grew hot. The revolt had come so sudden and without warning that he had to mentally take a step back.

 _What in the world was that?_ he asked himself. The voice in his head grew silent. His self-argument had become so heated that he almost felt like he was fighting against an entirely separate entity, but it couldn't be. It was his voice all along, wasn't it?

"Link?"

He snapped out of his deep thought. "Yes, my lady?"

"Are you okay?"

"Of course, my lady." He dipped his head slightly. She gazed at his with a skeptical eye, but did not inquire further. _Thank Hylia she is not bringing anything up… Not yet at least._

"Well I'm ready. Thank you for waiting." She looked up at him and tilted her head slightly.

"You're welcome, my lady." With a polite gesture, he opened the door for her. _Get ahold of yourself, man. You have a job to do._ He followed closely behind her as the knight had instructed them to meet Lord Aron in the War Room. They went down the elevator after Link unlocked it, and they looked down on the bustling soldiers below as they descended. When they reached the bottom they quickly made their way to the War Room, finding that Lord Aron and his officers were once again circled around the planning table, as well as being joined by a bright purple scaled Zora General.

"I'm sorry for waking you at this hour, my lady," Lord Aron began. "But this is our chance to get you out of the Citadel safely. Your horses are being prepared as we speak, and I will have your things brought down to you."

"Thank you for your concern, Lord Aron, but I will not be leaving."

"What!?" His eyebrows furrowed, and his mouth was open in disbelief. Zelda stepped further into the room, as she had done many hours prior.

 _What!?_ Link shouted internally, equally perplexed by her response.

"Until my father arrives, I am to stay and represent the crown. Such is my responsibility." Her voice was stern and unwavering. "On that note, I will not be cooped up in the peak of the Citadel any longer, I will assist in the war effort."

"Forgive me, my lady, but I simply cannot allow this! At any moment those warmongers could break through our defenses. I will not allow the sole heir to the throne be put in such a dangerous situation!"

"And as that heir, it is paramount that I learn how to properly protect my people! Ignorance is not an acceptable trait in the running of a kingdom, Lord Aron. You of all people should know that."

"But you are just a child, my lady!"

"A child? If I am not mistaken, Lord Aron, you are barely a man yourself, and yet you have inherited your fathers title!"

"My lady―"

"I will hear no more of it. Until the King arrives, I will fill his position. That is final!"

Before Lord Aron could argue further, a faint chuckle echoed in the open chamber, and the congregation all looked over to the Zora General. "Forgive me, Princess Zelda. I am General Dunma." The General was a much more pleasant subject to look at than her war-roughened Hylian counterparts. Her bright purple scales danced and reflected in the dim candlelight of the War Room, resulting in a graceful figure equally of both beauty and intimidating fierceness. General Dunma bowed graciously, placing a clasped fist over her heat. "I am glad to see that you bear the same strength and determination of your mother, my lady. However, I must express my concerns in alignment with Lord Aron. Until the King of Hyrule arrives, I fear that our combined forces cannot withhold the attacks for long."

The Princess bowed her head in solidarity, before offering her polite disagreement. "And I thank you for your concern. However, I must put my foot down, General. If safety is your worry, then do not fear. I will have my Appointed Knight by my side at all times." She gestured slightly to Link, who stood stiffly by the door, expressively unflinching.

"Was that the case when he abandoned you to galivant into Tarrey Town?" Lord Aron interjected, sneering at Link with harsh eyes.

"As I seem to recall," she sneered. "He is the reason a number of _our_ people survived. I spoke with several survivors of Tarrey Town, and they all sung his praises of bravery and selflessness. Is he also not the one that warned us against sending what few men we have out from the safety of our Citadel, which would have surely ended in our demise? It is the information that he supplied us with that prevented the needless slaughter of our men." Lord Aron only scoffed in response, too fixated on his disdain for the golden-haired boy to care. "Now, I will hear no more of it."

A wry smile shot across General Dunma's thin mouth as she looked at the irritated lord. "Well… I'm afraid you don't have a choice, Lord Aron," she said with an amused tone. Link had never met this General, but with every passing sentence, he grew fonder of the Zora who seemed to share a similar distaste for the arrogant lord.

"Now. Give me an update of everything that's happened." Zelda placed her hands of the table and leaned in to gaze on the map of the Citadel's layout. Commander Nell was the first to speak, and seemed pleased with the Princess's interest in the progress of the siege.

"To put it briefly, they first attacked us at the northern gatehouse, trying to break through by using a battering ram. However, their attempts were unsuccessful, and so they settled-on firing off barrages of arrows and whatever those loud war machines are."

"On the subject of the war machines," Captain Morint added. "I have reason to believe that they have a similar function to the weaponry that was once stationed here in the Citadel before its fall. All the manuscripts that I've read called them 'Cannons,' although they did not explain in great detail how they worked."

"Which is a strange revelation, if it is true," the Commander continued, adding on to the Captain's statement. "Our attackers, or at least the ones we have seen so far, seem very ̶ archaic. They bear no metal armor, and their weapons are crude and rough. And yet, they possess this advanced technology that not even we have been successful in recreating. We fear that these are simply the grunts and pawns of a much more intelligent enemy."

The Princess pondered the officers' words carefully, as her expression grew downtrodden and worried. _What is she thinking?_ Link wondered. He sudden change in demeanor was a little unsettling for him. Just moments before she seemed upbeat and determined, but it quickly dissipated into what he could only describe as a look of despair.

"Did anything else happen? Anything―unusual?"

"No, my lady. They stayed put on the southern gate, as a small force tried to siege the northern gate, which also ended in failure. After a few hours they gave up and retreated as the moon rose higher."

"I see… I urge you to order your men to be very vigilant, gentlemen… I fear that they are just toying with us, and something much worse is to come." Zelda's voice was quiet, heavy almost. Link could not put a finger on exactly what it was, but the atmosphere itself felt _off,_ and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

"Of course, my lady. We share a similar fear. Our only hope is to hold them off until more reinforcements arrive."

"Have we received word from my father yet?" She straightened her back, and clasped her hands behind her back.

"No," Lord Aron replied curtly, adding 'my lady' as an afterthought. A silence fell on the room, and the officers just stared at the map on the table.

"Well," General Dunma finally sighed. "Unless there is anything else for us to discuss, it would be best for us to get some rest." They all nodded in groggy eyed agreement, everyone except Link, who seemed wholly unaffected by the lack of sleep. With their meeting disclosed, they all separated to go to their quarters. The officers set into place alternating shifts so that one of them was awake at all times, in case anything was to happen. They instructed their men to do the same, so that they could catch some well-deserved sleep. Lord Aron accompanied the Princess back to the peak of the Citadel, only speaking a few silent words, which was a nice change from his usual endless banter. As always, Link faithfully followed suit, remaining silent as a shadow, making his presence almost unknown. Link escorted her back to her room, and Lord Aron bid her goodnight, (or more accurately, good morning). With a sleepy nod, she bid them both farewell, dismissing Link, before slipping into her room. Link stood guard at the door, without making eye contact with Lord Aron. The young lord examined him for a moment before stepping forward, and came so close to Link that his heavy boot was crushing the toes on his right foot, which he was certain was on purpose.

"I'm watching you," he whispered. "I see the way you look at her. The way you haunt her steps. It disgusts me." Link said nothing, standing resolutely, not even flinching from the pain. "Remember your place, you spineless worm." Lord Aron's boot dug into his toenails as he pressed off and left down the hall. How easily he could have crushed the little lord under his fists, but he shunned all anger towards him. _He's right. It's despicable. Thank Hylia he didn't see my pathetic display earlier._ Every time he thought back on the issue, his body would twinge and twitch as he suppressed all thoughts of the Gerudo child. His chest would grow restricted, and his breathing; faint and shallow. To counteract it, he would force his eyes open, and would focus on some small detail, counting the facets or edges of whatever object he stared at. This time around it was a small hallway table across from him. Starting from the legs, he traced every elegantly carved detail, counting the petals of the engraved flowers, and numbered the corners of the table. When his breathing returned to normal, he relaxed his shoulders and ended his counting. The hallway he stood in was silent, and the few candles that were still lit, burned dimly.

His eyes grew heavy, and he felt the call for bed. _Bed… She dismissed me, but I don't feel at ease leaving her door unguarded._ He pondered the issue a little longer before deciding that even if he did return to his bed, it was dreadfully uncomfortable and far away, and so he figured he would be just as comfortable sitting on the ground and resting against the wall. _That way I can still be close by, in case anything happens. I'll be right here for her._ After unbuckling his sword from his hip, he sat down on the ground and rested his head against the wall, crossing his legs. He placed his sword in his lap, and closed his eyes.

When sleep finally took him, he was once again haunted by the nightmare inducing horrors he witnessed the morning before. Again, and again he watched as the blade effortlessly cut through her throat. His whole body felt heavy, as he could not move fast enough to save her. With slow fists he struck the murderer endlessly, until his face transformed without explanation. It was no longer the warrior's face, but the Gerudo girl's. ' _Why did you do this to me?'_ she kept asking the same question with dead amber eyes. He lost control of his hands, and soon his fingers were grasped around a dagger. He watched in captive horror as he drove the night into her throat. ' _You did this.'_ He fought with all his might to stop, but he had no control. Again, and again he drove the knife in, and yet she did not flinch. She only stared up at him with tear filled eyes, repeating the words: ' _you did this.'_

He jolted from his nightmare, feeling warm tears rolling down his cheeks. He wiped the tears away with his hand, focusing on controlling his heavy breathing. When he calmed himself, and his heartrate returned to normal, he closed his eyes again, falling back into an uncomfortable, nightmare plagued sleep. Countless times he was jolted from sleep, and countless times he walked himself away from the edge of abyssal despair and anguish. The faint rustling of clothing awoke him in the early morning, and his eyes shot open to see a young handmaiden bearing a small basket.

"Oh. Excuse me. I didn't see you there," she whispered, tilting her head quizzically, glancing at Link from head to toe.

"It's okay. I can't sleep anyways." He offered a polite smile before standing.

"Have you been there all night and morning?" She stepped closer and peered up a bit to see his face better in the dim early morning light. Link shrugged his shoulders, with a slanted and small nod. "You must be the Princess's Appointed Knight."

"Yes ma'am."

"You're much younger than I thought… And fairer." A kind grin stretched across her thin and youthful lips. She pressed aside her quick compliment before continuing. "Did they not give you a place to sleep?"

"They did."

"Why didn't you go sleep in your bedroom?"

Link chuckled a little. "Not exactly much of a bedroom. It's actually more of a storage closet." The young maid's eyebrows furrowed, clearly perplexed by his statement. Realizing that his words would only bring more personable questions he wrapped up the notion curtly. "Anyways, that's not important."

"That doesn't make any sense, why wouldn't they pu―"

"Its fine. Besides. I needed to stay close by. To guard."

The maid sighed. "I suppose you're right." She fidgeted a little before continuing. "I hate to admit it, but I'm terrified. Of the war." The maids tone had changed. Before it was a pleasant voice to hear, but now it was fearful and despairing. Her shoulders sank a little and she looked down slightly. A tinge of pity came to Link.

"Don't lose hope. Reinforcements are coming. I have faith in our men." Her eyes met his, and he offered an encouraging smile. The maid drew in a deep breath before composing herself.

She smiled hopefully and nodded, thanking him, then she looked over to the door of Zelda's room. "I should go, I need to tend to the fireplace. Wouldn't want her to wake up cold, now would we?"

"Of course not," he smiled. The maid quietly slipped into the bedroom, stealthily closing the door behind her.

The world was so quiet in the pale morning that he almost forgot that they were at war. As he stirred his restless eyes he began to feel more awake, and the reality of the situation seeped back into him. He stood guard for a little longer, hearing familiar muffled voices and faint shuffling in the room next to him. _She must already be up… I wonder if she slept any better._ After quite some time the young handmaiden reemerged.

"The Princess has requested your audience."

 _Why? At this hour? the sun is barely out._ "Thank you." With a reluctant handhe held the door as he entered. Zelda was sitting in a small lounge chair near the rekindled fire in her bedroom. Her eyes looked tired and rough, but for the most part, she seemed whole and well.

"I see you didn't get very much sleep either." Zelda offered a small welcoming smile as he entered.

"Only a little, my lady." He stood near the fireplace, admittedly enjoying its warmth. The hallway was not exactly the warmest sleeping quarters, especially without a blanket.

"The maid tells me you slept out in the hallway…"

He bit the inside of his lip a little before answering, desperately wishing she would not ask her usual strand of questions. Tactfully, he decided he would try give a well-rounded answer, hoping to avoid unnecessary speaking. "Yes, my lady. My room was a little too far away for my comfort. I decided that it would be better if I was close by, in case something happened."

"You mean your storage closet?" she asked with a hint of humor. He cleared his throat, stalling before he could think of any appropriate answer. "The maid told me. I suppose at this point I'm not surprised. Lord Aron seems to be set on giving you a miserable time. I will make sure you're given a proper room. Somewhere in the peak."

He opened his mouth to protest, but he stopped, realizing could not argue against the logic. It made much more sense, as he could still rest, while being close enough that he could easily reach the Princess. Besides, sleeping in a proper bed sounded too good to pass up. "Thank you, my lady." He bowed his head slightly, in gratitude.

"Are you hungry?"

"Hm?" he grunted absentmindedly, distracted by the dancing flames of the fire.

"Are you hungry? I can call for food. We should probably eat while we have the chance."

"I can go fetch the maid for you, my lady."

Zelda smiled. "Don't worry about it. She said she would be right back." She beckoned for him to sit. "Have a seat. What would you like to eat?" Link looked at the open chair opposite of her, realizing that she intended for him to dine with her. He cursed his sluggishness.

"Oh!" He stepped back lightly. "Please, my lady. I will eat in the servants' hall, forgive my intrusion."

"Link, were at war. I think we're warranted a bit of leeway in such minute and superficial standards."

"Maybe in Faron, or in Fort Hateno or Kakariko, where there were other people with us, my lady! But in your private quarters? I would never dare to impose!" _Why do we have to go through this again!? Wasn't one time bad enough?_ Before she could respond, there was a rap on the door. _Oh thank Hylia!_ He briskly walked to the door and answered. It was the knight from the night before, who shot a hypercritical glace at him as if saying 'what are you doing in there!?'

"I have a message for the Princess." With a quick step, the knight entered and bowed. "My lady, the King has just arrived. He is in the southeastern courtyard with Lord Aron." The Princess bolted up from her chair, almost sprinting to the door. She thanked the knight in a rushed manner, before exiting her room. Link rushed to catch up to her before walking ahead to open the front door for her.

"My lady, I don't wish to be presumptuous, but I believe it would be best if I took the lead. To ensure safe passage."

"Of course." She did not dwell on the request for a moment, as she was clearly to excited to see her father to notice. With a watchful eye, Link led the way down the stairs, until the came upon a large landing that opened up into a stone courtyard. At its center stood Lord Aron. Towering above him was the King of Hyrule. The King wore a simple set of leather armor, with metal paldrons and collar. A thick leather strap wrapped around his chest and waist, and on his back hung the Legendary Sword. The last time he saw Master Sword was when he was chosen to be the Princess's Appointed Knight, and he recalled the blades warmth and weightlessness against his shoulder when the King appointed him.

Just seeing that hero of legend standing in the courtyard brought him encouragement and boldness, as he wished that someday he could also carry such an air of confidence and regality that it was an inspiration to those beside him. He was a true warrior, a man worthy of respect not because he commanded it, but because he whole heartedly earned it through his never-ending pursuit for prosperity and peace for his people. From the first day that he met him as a child in Market Square, to when he stood before him now, the King of Hyrule was the standard of honor, courage, and dignity that he looked up to. Even when he beat him in a duel, his heart was humble by his grace and honor. Zelda ran ahead, arms stretched out, and practically jumped into his embrace.

"My sweet child! Are you all right?" he asked as he peered down at her in loving adoration.

"Yes father! So much better now that you are here!" She buried her face into his warm shoulder.

"Lord Aron tells me of your―determination to stay put, and represent the crown." Zelda looked up to her father, admittedly worried that he was upset at her decision. However, her worry was laid to rest when he whispered to her. Link did not hear what he said exactly, but a bright beaming smile stretched across her lips, and he knew that whatever it was made his Princess very happy. Link stood a ways back, practically still at the entrance to the courtyard, awaiting to either be called upon, or acknowledged, or perhaps not noticed at all. At any rate, as was his position, he remained silent at attention, ready to bow dutifully the moment the Kings eyes were to fall upon him. Sure enough, after speaking with his daughter a little longer his eyes fell upon Link. He bowed deeply, with the utmost respect.

"Your grace."

"I'm glad to see you in one piece, Link. Lord Aron also told me of your actions in Tarrey Town… I should like to hear a full report when time permits it." Link could not get a read on his tone. He did not seem angry, but neither did he sound pleased.

"Of course, your grace." _If Lord Aron is the one that told him, then I'm in trouble. Big trouble. Reap what you sow, I suppose._ The King held his eye on him for much longer than what he would have deemed normal, noticing him shift his shoulders, as if the sword on his back grew inexplicably heavier. _I guess he is furious. Just look at the way he's fidgeting._

"Your grace, my lord. There are reports of movement on the north and south pass!" A courier was sprinting up the stairs with a short breath, bowing hurriedly as he delivered his message.

"Are the rest of the men in the Citadel yet?" the King asked in an urgent voice.

"Almost, your grace. The rearguard is still marching in." The King struck out in a brisk walk, approaching the southern edge of the courtyard. Lord Aron and his daughter were quick to follow, and all three peered down on the southern pass, and its accompanying gate near the Akkala Span.

"Sound the alarms. We need to get those men in immediately. Slam the gates shut the moment they're through."

"Yes, your grace." The young knight-courier sprinted back down the stairs, raising his voice to his comrades and soon the bells and trumpets rang out, signaling incoming enemies. When the alarm fell on the army's ears below, they marched in double-time, running into the Citadel's gates with efficiency and speed. When the last man had made it through the gates slammed shut, and the gatemen set about reinforcing and locking the heavy doors. The engineers took their positions at their machines, and the mighty forces of the Citadel took their heroic stand.

"Well it looks like the men from the castle won't get any rest yet." The King withdrew from the edge, gesturing for the young lord to follow. "Come Lord Aron. We have work to d―"

He was cut short when a great black mass appeared high in the sky, sending a rippling wave of energy below, rattling the very stones beneath their feet. The King halted in his tracks, gazing up at the swirling mist above, slowly bringing his arm up to the hilt of his sword. With a sense of reluctance, he pulled The Sword from its sheath, bringing it before his eyes. An ethereal blue glow erupted from the hilt, and it traveled down to the pointed tip of the blade. With dread filled eyes he examined the blade. Zelda stepped back, covering her mouth in fear, and Lord Aron's eye glowed with awe, and terror. Absentmindedly, Link stepped out of his disciplined attention and stared in awestruck wonder at the magnificent glowing blade, before tilting his head up to the sky.

"He's here. He's finally back." The King was so quiet and dismayed that Link barely heard him.

"Ganon?" Link asked, forgetting all rank and mannerisms. The King looked down at him, and opened his mouth to answer with furrowed eyebrows but was cut off when, without warning, the black mist contorted and out shot a singular streaming form, enveloped in black fire. Faster than an arrow, it darted across the morning sky, heading straight for the southern gate. As it fell closer to the ground it erupted into a bright red flame, and it came crashing down before the entrance, causing an ear-defining boom. The ground cratered underneath it, sending molten rock and stone flying hundreds of feet into the air as it drove further forward to the gate. In a fraction of a second, it collided with the timber and steel gateway, ripping it from its hinges, causing the stone archway above it, and the men on it, to collapse. Every soul within the Citadel stood in shock, unable to move as the dust and debris settled around the impact area. Rich red flames permeated the surrounding area, but it did not consume its fuel, nor did it cause great heat. From the center of the impact zone there stood a solitary figure, one that was much taller than the average Hylian. It was shrouded in a tattered black cloak, covered in wispy smoke of the same color. Its hood was covered its face entirely, and around its neck hung a strange necklace that bore a black crystal at its end. Its long slender arms were encased in dark plated metal from shoulders to pincer-pointed fingers. Each tier was carved with runic figures, markedly dented and chipped, as if it had received heavy ware. Whatever the being was, it was ancient and terrible. With weightless steps, its long legs stretched out in unnaturally smooth movements, and its metal boots made only a slight clinking sound. It held outs its right hand, with its palm held skyward, and soon a dark mist formed in his fingers, extending outwards into the shape of a long, jagged blade. Nearby soldiers stared with wide eyes, as they fumbled for their swords. The figure spun the sword-like mist in Its palm before running Its long fingers over the edge of the blade, revealing an ebony sword. As it did, the surrounding red flames flew inwards at the hilt, enveloping the dark jagged blade in an unholy red fire that danced wildly.

Not a word passed from Its lips, nor did it draw its hood back. It only stood there, waiting to be challenged. When no man stepped forth, It tightened Its grip, and erupted into a furry of movement, effortlessly driving its blade through the cores and chests of Its enemies. Barbaric horns cried out and echoed on the mountainside, signaling the incoming horde from the sea. The King sprang into action, sprinting to the stairs.

"Link. Keep her safe!" The Master Sword glimmered and shone in the pale morning light, illuminating the area around it. With the tenacity of a lion, the King charged forward to the stairs, until he was met with a dark and terrible resistance, who slit the throats of the two unaware Royal Guards.

Unlike their red-flamed comrade, who made Its grand entrance with a deafening explosion, the two abyssal beings that stood in opposition to the King had made their stealthy entrances, appearing seemingly out of thin air. Like their comrade, however, they bore identical armor and weapons. In unison, they ran their outstretched fingers over the edges of their blades, and from the hilts of their swords great flames of venomous green, and vibrant blue engulfed the length of them. Their upper bodies did not shift or shake with the movement of their feet, giving it the appearance that their torsos floated effortlessly in the air. Lord Aron drew his thin sword, as did Link.

"Link," the King whispered. "Get her out of here." Without saying another word, the King surged forward, bringing the Legendary Sword down upon his enemies. Bright flames sparked with every strike, and Lord Aron joined the fray, barely holding his own.

Link grabbed the Princess's hand with his own, and pulled her away, acting as a body shield. The abyssal beings pressed their advantages, angling their positions in such a way that they could prevent the Princess from being taken to the safety of the peak. However, thanks to the King's skill in swordplay, he managed to present an opening for the Princess and her Appointed Knight to slip past. Link always kept himself between _them_ and her, ready to defend her at a moment's notice, but to his horror as they ascended the flight of stairs, they were cut off by the third comrade. Link blocked the sudden red-flamed attack with his sword, but the brute force of the strike made him stumble on the uneven stone stairs. The being pressed its advantage, gracefully following up with fluid swings of dancing flames. Link was hard pressed to defend himself, until one of the life-ending strikes bounced off a golden barrier of light. The beings head snapped up as its concealed face gazed upon the golden glow that enveloped the Princess. She called forth a bolt of energy from her hand, and took aim, but before she could fire, the being vanished in pillar billowing smoke. Link regained his footing, feeling the Princess's arms wrap around his chest as she helped him stand.

"I've got you Link!" It was a sentiment that was short lived, as the being reappeared in full force, bursting out from the stone wall to their left, and kicked Link over the railing of the stairs. He heard Zelda scream as he reeled over the edge, falling for a split second before hitting the hard steps of the staircase below, losing consciousness.

* * *

Lord Aron had already fallen. Dead or unconscious, he could not say, but he did not have time to check. His enemies were ruthless and fast, often disappearing and reappearing in an instant. They fought in perfect unison, trying to exploit his every weakness. And so, he had no chance of pressing any advantage as they endlessly perused him with devastating efficiency. His arms grew tired, an occurrence that he had not experienced since he fought without the Master Sword, as it was almost weightless in his hands. Still, with every swing, every block, and every parry, the Legendary Sword grew heavier and heavier.

" _It's time, master."_

 _No! Please! Not like this._

" _I'm sorry… Truly. I have no control over it. It is just how I was made."_

 _But she needs me. He need me. They're not ready!_ Each swing grew heavier, and the sword began to lose its ethereal glow.

" _And neither were you. But you learned. You grew. I am sorry, master. I wish it could be different."_

His heart grew solemn. It was a reality he knew could not be changed. With every fiber in his body he wished that it wasn't true. To watch his sweet, innocent daughter grow up under impending doom tore him to his core. And Link; it was all too personal. He knew exactly how the poor boy must feel, he shared his name for crying out loud. The stress, the pressure. Everyone judging him, and yet he could not tell him why he was so special. He could only guide him, and pray for the best.

 _Is he worthy yet? Can he wield the sword now?_

Before he received an answer, he failed to block and incoming strike, and his arm flew out, dropping the Master Sword. His feet were pulled from under him and was slammed down onto the hard pavement. He reached for the sword, but it was yards away, as it skidded across the smooth stone. His arms were pinned under oppressive boots and he peered up into the black cowls of the faceless figures. Time seemed to stop, and his mind flashed thousands of memories before him.

Her radiant smile under the sun. The way she held onto him after she was freed. 'Together,' she would tell him. Even when his memory failed, and the nightmares came, she was there to comfort him, to hold him tight when the ghosts of his past perpetrated his mind. _Together_ they rebuilt their home, brick by brick. Through the long cold nights, and sweltering hot days, she was his strength and purpose. For so long everyone doubted them, especially after the Divine Beasts fell, but she stayed ever strong, ever faithful. Diplomatic rejection after diplomatic rejection, they persevered. With a pride-filled smile he did what he did best, fight. When their soon-to-be-allies faltered, he fought on in their name, building the unbreakable bonds of brotherhood, serving as a helping hand. _Together_ they made the world see that the _Queen_ had truly returned, that with blood sweat and tears, they could make the Hyrulean people whole again, and that Hylian's could come back from the brink of extinction, stronger and mightier than ever before. And they did.

He remembered the unsurmountable joy he felt holding his little baby girl in his arms. She was just as beautiful as her mother. At every turn he was terrified, petrified, and mortified for her safety, but with his loving wife's words of wisdom and comfort, he let her experience life, unhindered. _'It's better to learn life's difficulty now in the open wild, so that when the true dark nights set in, they can grow strong under pressure.'_

' _How can a Silent Princess grow and flourish if its kept in a safe little box all of its life? It is a flower that needs light, and room to grow. If you try to hide it locked away in a tower in the name of safety, it will surely wilt and die.'_

It was the same words he whispered in her ear just minutes before. _Such a delicate balance isn't it, my dear? I just pray I wasn't too soft, or too harsh._

* * *

When his mind returned, he jolted up, terrified as he watched sparks of red and gold glance off the Princess's barriers on the staircase above. His sword was nowhere to be seen, but he had to do something.

 _No! You will not take her!_ He surged up the stairs in great bounds, pushing past the crippling pain and hazy vision. An ear-piercingly supernatural screech cried out from above, and he looked up to see that the red-flamed figure was retreating in a trail of smoke as golden streaks of energy were hurled towards It. _She did it!_ In that brief moment, his worry left him, and he felt comfort beyond measure as he saw her beautiful face peer over the edge, calling to him. However, his comfort was quickly dashed when he realized how horribly exhausted she looked, and he watched in horror as she stumbled back, too tired to stand.

"No no no!" In the quick glimpse that he caught of her, she seemed uninjured, but there was no way to know for sure. His heart beat uncontrollably as pure adrenaline surged through his body. Nothing felt broken, however the pain in his back and head was almost enough to halt his advance in waves. Still, he pressed on, eventually stepping up to the courtyard above. His jaw dropped in disbelief.

There the King lay, pinned down by his enemies, and yet not a tinge of fear or pain was on his face. Even when the figure bearing the blade of green fire drew Its arm back, his expression was tranquil, and at peace. The King looked at him in the last moment, a hopeful smile on his lips until the fire-drenched sword was plunged through his chest.

"NO!" He collapsed to his knees, to shocked to move or think properly.

 _The Master Sword!_ A voice screamed so loudly in his head that he almost covered his ears. Before he even knew what he was doing, he jumped up and ran at full speed, grabbing the Master Sword that was lying dormant on the pavement and swung it with such might and strength that it shattered the ebony sword of his enemy. The Sword of Evil's Bane felt lighter than a feather in his hand, allowing him to spin and swing it at speeds he did not think was physically possible for a weapon of that size and length. The blue glowing steel sang as it ripped through the air, and he felt as if he could leap above his enemy's heads if he were to try.

What surprised him the most was the clarity of his mind. Every facet of his being, save one, was hell bent of defeating his enemies. He knew exactly what he needed to do, it was now just a matter of doing it. His enemies lashed out in a deadly dance, disappearing, and reappearing in the blink of an eye. The figure with the broken sword had already produced a new blade, donning it in the same green fire as before, and joined his comrade in an assault of blistering speed.

Link twirled The Sword in his hands, often trading off which hand wielded it as the situation demanded, however he realized that if he were to continue to be outnumbered, he would surely lose against the two abyssal beings. As he had been trained to do, he slowed the pace of the fight, angling himself in such a way that his enemies would get in each other's ways, however he found the task to be nearly impossible, seeing that they could so easily blink around. On several occasions one would suddenly appear behind him, and yet, as if his senses were heightened, he would swing the Master Sword in a dizzying twirl and spin, effectively parrying the back stab.

Despite his initial success in battle, he began to feel his advantages retreating, as the cloaked beings seemed incredibly intelligent, and were already picking apart his techniques and habits. His chances grew even worse when suddenly the third specter appeared, however seemingly haggard by Its fight with the Princess. Just when he thought that he might falter, a bright golden barrier appeared at his side, and a muffled blade bounced off it.

 _Zelda!_

He seized the opportunity and slashed downwards at the chest of the blue-flamed specter, but it did not strike true. The Sword instead broke through the amulet that it had tied around its neck, and outburst a pulsating wave of energy that knocked over even the faceless figures. All three figures reared back, seeing that an expansive barrier now covered the brave knight. They stood slowly, tilting their heads, and quenching their flame-infused swords. Even though their faces were hidden, Link could feel their menacing eerie eyes upon him. They stood unwavering for a moment longer until in unison they looked to the sky as if listening to some silent voice. Without another motion, the dispersed into three pillars of twirling mist and shot back up into the sky, leaving a trail of black smoke behind them as they left. The black billowing mass in the sky soon disappeared as their assailants vanished without a trace, and the Master Sword's brilliant blue glow died. The golden barrier around him dropped and he spun around to see Zelda descending the stairs in heavy and struggling steps.

"Link…" A whisper called out to him, when he realized that it was the King. He rushed forward and knelt at his side, grabbing onto his outstretched hand.

"My King! I'm here." The clarity that he experienced during the fight had gone, and his throbbing heartbeat returned, shortening his desperate breaths.

"Zelda… where's…" blood spat out from his mouth. Zelda had finally built up enough strength to run over, and so she collapsed on her knees by his side, tears already pouring out from her eyes.

"Father. I'm so sorry―" Great swelling teardrops fell down her cheeks, and her voice was strained, on the verge of hyperventilating. "Link," she suddenly shouted. "We have to get him to MiarnidÍl! She can save him!"

 _But how?_ He would bleed out before they could even get outside the Citadel, and he could still hear the war raging on below.

"No! It's too late- _cough_ my darling."

"What!?" she retorted, placing her hands over the open wound in his chest. "Father, no please listen, we can save you."

"Zelda. Listen to me. I need you to be strong." Again, Zelda tried to interrupt him, begging him to stop. He simply reached up with his gentle hand and cupper her cheek, a wiped away her cascading tears. "Please, be good for your mother. Tell her that I loved her, even when I was lost." He turned away and then stared into Link's eyes. "And Link. Have courage, my boy. Don't be afraid of The Sword. Use it. It answers to you now. I could feel it, the first day I met you. I could see it in your eyes. The same spirit that once lived in me. _"_ The King closed his fingers around Link's hand, tightening his grip on the Master Sword.

"Look to each other for strength, for when the nights grow dark, you two are all you will have." A tear rolled down the King's cheek as he drew his last breath, and spoke his last words. "I love you, my child."

The fair Princess erupted into agonizing tears, burying her face in the crook of her late father's neck, weeping so loudly that the very noise broke Link's heart and will. He let go of the Master Sword and placed his calloused hand on her back, and gently rubbed it as tears of his own rolled down freely. He thought that someone had driven a sword through his heart, as with every beat it ached and hurt. His beloved Princess looked up to him with swollen eyes and a red face, still holding on to her father's lifeless body.

"Why?" she sobbed. "Why did it have to be like this?" As her lip quivered and her voice whimpered, every inch of his constitution and determination broke, unraveling all the pent-up anger and hatred that festered in his heart. Those bastards had come and killed innocent lives, and he watched in his own failure as that barbarian slit the Gerudo girls throat, and so he unleashed every ounce of his energy and malice in killing that vile monster, but this; what sat before him. It was more than he could bear. Those watery green eyes stared at him, desperate for an answer, desperate for comfort, but he did not have an answer, and in all his life he never had to console someone at the side of their dead father. He recalled how helpless he felt when he saw his father's lifeless body on the table in the mortician's office, how Jonathan's mother gently cradled him as he wept. And so he mustered all the courage he could, and pushed through his over wavering tear-broken voice.

"I don't know. But I'm right here for you, Zelda." He stepped over the King's legs, and knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her. Like Angela had once done for him, he rocked her gently back and forth, cradling her head in his hand, and she wrapped her arms around his torso in return, sobbing in the folds of his tunic. Given any other situation, he would have openly shunned and mocked such shows of affection, but this was different. It was so much more than simply a knight upholding his duties to his kingdom, this was one Hylian mourning the loss of her father, desperately clinging to her only source of comfort. It ran deeper than the current precedent, challenging all things, creating a clear distinction between things that truly mattered, and shallow superficialities.

 _Another nightmare to suffer through when I sleep…_ He sniffled, trying to remain strong for the helpless girl in his arms. _At the end of it all, I could care less every sleeping and waking moment was haunted by these images and pain, but Hylia alive, it kills me to think that she would suffer the same._

 _Boom!_

A fiery cannonball erupted against the southern wall of the Citadel, shaking them from their solemn embrace.

"Zelda. We have to go. To the peak, now!"

She pulled away, staring up with sorrowful and fearful eyes. "We can't leave his body here!"

"We won't! No go! Run. I'll be right behind you!" She reluctantly nodded, wiping away what tears she could, still sobbing intensely. She stood up, and helped Link gather the King's limp body in his arms and they ran as fast at the could to the stairs leading up to the peak of the Citadel. Link did not realize until they had reached the safety of the manor that Zelda had picked up the master sword, and was carrying it in her arms like it was a great led weight. The servants mouth hung open in disbelief, and many burst into tears as Link carried the King through the front door, carefully laying him on the nearby table. Zelda returned to her father's side, grasping onto his cold hands, fighting to control her emotions. Remembering that Lord Aron still laid dead or unconscious in the courtyard below, he sprinted back down, and scooped his surprisingly light body up, feeling that his heart was still beating. Once he was back at the peak, he placed the young lord into the arms of two servants, who carried him away to be treated.

 _Its time. Time to show these bastards the justice they've had coming for a long time._ He cast away his tears, feeling the growing storm within him yet again. He opened the front door, and every muscle in his body surged with energy.

"Link!" He halted in the threshold of the door, and turned to find Zelda carrying the Master Sword in its sheath. "Link. You are our next Chosen Hero. Only you can wield the Master Sword." She handed it to him, still struggling with the weight. With a steady hand he grabbed onto it, stringing it over his shoulder and buckled the strap across his chest. It was warm and light against his back, but something about it just felt _right._ It felt like it was a body part that he had was always meant to have.

"Link. Promise me you'll stay safe."

"Yes, my lady."

He wondered if it was reckless to leave her up there with only a few servants to help her, but then again, she managed to fight off one of those _things_ by herself, and not to mention the fact that she saved him from the three of them there at the end. _She'll be fine. But my brothers won't be._ With his mind made up, he sprinted down the stairs, itching to pull the Master Sword from its sheath. The sounds of war raged on and when he exited the Keep he found a sight truly abhorrent. Countless bodies laid dead on the ground. Many were his shield-brothers, but far more were of the horde. What confused him however, is that he could see members of that horde killing not just Hylians, but men from their own forces. Were they punishing cowardice? He could not say. Those who they slew seemed to have dropped their weapons and collapsed on the ground with hands over their ears, screaming, and inexplicably one of their comrades would come along and slay them where they knelt. He had no words to describe it, nor could he think of an explanation. And so, he pressed it from his mind, and wrapped his fingers around the handle of the Master Sword, hearing the steel sing to him once again as he drew it from the sheath. He could feel the power pulsate through his core, and his mind was once again crystal clear. A number of his comrades halted their fighting, a stared at him with dumbfounded expressions. A barbaric man stepped in front of him, taunting him in his guttural language before charging at him with an axe held high. In one smooth motion, Link drew the sword across his abdomen, sending a splatter out blood out, instantly killing his foolish opponent.

 _Finally._

His bright steel continued to sing to him, and he learned its familiar tune and pitch, all throughout the deafening screams and clanging metal. It was finally time to exact his revenge on the horde of thirty-thousand, alongside his shield-brothers. The King's final words to him echoed in his mind.

" _Have courage, my boy. Don't be afraid of The Sword. Use it."_

 _I will, my King._


	20. The Battle for the Citadel

_Chapter twenty, The Battle for the Citadel_

Block, parry, riposte. Sidestep, thrust, dodge _. Need a shield… There's one._ Grip, block, spin, repeat. _So much blood. I can feel it on my face._ Heart pounding, purpose flowing, steel singing. _It sounds so clear. So pure._ Sword rises, sword falls. Death is the only reply.

Everything felt like instinct to him, as if his primal habits were marked and shaped by his swordsmanship. He thought that he would be angry, much like when he killed the barbarian that murdered the Gerudo girl, but he simply felt―calm. Every swing of his sword did not stem from hatred, it came from somewhere else, but he could not place a finger on exactly where. Countless enemies challenged him, and yet they fell before him like rain would fall from the sky. The bright steel of the Master Sword sung its high-pitched eerie tune, nothing more than a simple ringing in his ear, and yet it was as if it spoke to his very soul. He could feel it changing him, making him stronger, faster, and smarter. He could feel the presence of the two voices in their heads, but they remained silent, only intently watched what unfolded. It was strange, he did not recall when the second voice had returned, but he quickly banished such nonsense from his mind. _It's all a part of my imagination anyways._ An arrow whizzed past his head, barely missing his right ear. _Too close_. _I_ _need a helmet._ He scavenged the ground, eventually finding one laying in the mud without an owner. _It will have to do._ He picked it up and brought it down over his eyes, adjusting it to peer through the visor unhindered. It was a little loose on his head, but it would have to do.

Like a dance, he resumed. Sidestep, block, swing, and riposte. Dodge, roll, leap, and strike. Blood splattered everywhere. His hands, fingers, sleeves, tunic, and face were covered in it. _Not her blood this time. This time it's theirs'._ He drove his blade into the heart of his next opponent, watching as his iris shift from black to ghostly gray. _What are these men? Who are these sea-faring invaders?_ There was no time to answer, his shield-brothers, and a number of Zora soldiers were rallying, forming a barrier of locked shields, advancing on their enemies to drive them back to the gate. The soldiers he passed would stare at his bright sword, equally shocked and inspired. The would gaze up to his head, trying to look into his visor to see if it was truly who they thought it was. With wide eyes and open mouths, they would utter their words under their breath to their brothers. ' _Is that the King?'_ some would ask. _'But why would he be wearing that armor?'_ others would ponder. _'I don't know, but look! It is him! Look at the Master Sword in his hand! Our King has come to join us in battle!'_ Aside from the few soldiers that saw him before he donned the helmet, no one else knew that it was the young Appointed Knight, not the King that bore the Legendary Sword now. And those that had seen him were already gone, either dead or off fighting elsewhere, too busy to relay the information.

However, Link did not hear the soldiers awe filled words. ' _Did you steal that sword?'_ he was certain they would ask. _'How could a little boy like you possibly wield that weapon.'_ Outside of those who knew him, or had watched him train and grow up, were ever hypercritical of him. Lord Aron, Commander Graysen, the various noblemen and women, even most of his comrades all doubted him and sometimes even openly pitted themselves against him. However, now was not the time to dwell on their petty disagreements. Together, he and his comrades forced their invaders closer to the shattered entryway, pressing them further towards the Akkala Span. The loud explosions of the cannons deafened their ears, as the fiery ammunition rained down on them.

Again, he watched in sheer confusion as scores of the invaders were slaughtered by their own men, as they lay screaming on the ground, letting go of their weapons. _What is the meaning of this?_ He realized at that moment that in order to learn more about the invaders they would need to capture as many of these wild men as possible, and the enemy deserters seemed like the best opportunity to do so. He stumbled over countless dead bodies as he charged forward, seeking out one of the enemy cowards. He killed a score of warriors in this pursuit, and eventually saved a trembling barbarian from his bloodthirsty kin. The warrior continued wail and scream, closing his eyes and covering his ears as Link dragged him away by his collar. A Hylian knight raised his sword to cut down the warrior in Link's grasp, but he ordered him to stop.

"We need hostages! They could have important information," he shouted at the knight, who relented in his attack. The knight opened his mouth to argue, but his jaw clamped shut when he realized the bright sword in Link's left hand. "Take him to the dungeons, along with any other deserters you find. Understood?"

"Yes, Sire," he responded with a bewildered but obedient voice. The knight took over, and began to drag the writhing invader towards the Citadel.

 _Sire!?_ It was such a confusing choice of title. _No time to think on it. I must have misheard him. Sir, Sire, they're very similar_. It was the only explanation he could think of, but there was no time to tarry. Before he left however, Link stooped down to the warrior's level and grabbed onto his face, pulling his shut eyelids open. Underneath he saw the same ghostly gray eyes.

"Who are you people?" he sneered under his breath. The warrior did not respond, he only shut his eyes again, and whispered the same word repeatedly, cupping his hands over his ears, and wincing as if he were in pain.

" _Liadin, liadin, liadin."_

 _No time for questions._ He turned away, and joined back into the fray. As he and his brothers advanced, they captured more surviving deserters and killed their aggressive kin in the pursuit of forcing them back to the broken gateway just before the Span. To Link's surprise the knights seemed to rally behind him, following him wherever he went without saying a word. And so, with a revitalized sense of determination he and the men around him worked tirelessly to shove the invaders back to the breach, push after push. The barbarians broke like water on rocks against the Hylians' formation, easily being picked off by short jabs of their spears and swords. Inch by inch the fought under the very breath of their enemy, practically having to climb over the mountain of bodies that began to form before them. Link's wooden shield that he had picked up earlier grew heavy in his arm as several axes and arrows had been lodged into it, but he persevered through the weight and pressed on with his brothers. After what seem like an eternity of toil and struggle, the combined forces of Hylians and Zoras finally beat back the horde from the sea back to the breach.

"Blockade the gateway! Blockade the gateway once they're past it," he heard a strong voice yell from the battlements. Commander Nell looked haggard and exhausted, and blood ran down the right side of his face, but he was still standing tall and determined. As the Commander had ordered, they pushed the invaders past the brink of the debris field of the gate, and held their ground, once again forming a barrier of locked shields. Using the broken rubble nearby, the rear guard began blockading the gate, building up a wall of stone and timber just tall enough to be an obstacle, but short enough for their comrades to climb back over. At the direction of Commander Nell, the front guard withdrew, and the front most troops covered the comrades behind them as they scaled the newly formed blockade. Archers unleashed volleys of arrows from the battlements, slowing down the resurged advance of the barbarians, allowing enough time for the survivors of the front guard to retreat. Link was the last among them, as he took it upon himself to ensure the safety of his men. With the Master Sword in his hands he batted away the angry horde as they funneled in to meet him, moving from one target to the next with speed and efficiency he had never felt capable of.

"Your grace, back over the wall to safety!"

 _What!? Do they think…_

His comrades were all safe on the other side, and so after creating an opening for himself he leapt back over the wall, dropping his shield, and his comrades pulled him to safety. Many thanked him with humble bows of the head as they helped him stand before they retook their positions at the blockade, spearing down all that tried to climb over the wall.

"Up here! Quick!" Commander Nell shouted.

He sheathed the Master Sword and pushed his way through the tightly packed crowed, then he climbed the wooden ladder that led to the battlements, where Commander Nell was stationed. When he reached the second to the top rung, the Commander grabbed him by the arm, and swiftly pulled him up.

"Your grace…?" The Commander whispered with horrified skepticism, noticing the difference in height between Link and what he remembered the King to be. The armor he was wearing certainly resembled that of the leather tunic and metal pauldrons the King was wearing that morning, but it was less decorative, less _royal,_ and sporting leather pauldrons instead of metal, and the collar guard was absent _._ On top of that, the helmet he wore was not fitting of a king, just a simple knight.

With a quiet and somber voice, Link responded, feeling his warm breath against the visor of his helmet, fearing to take it off, revealing his true face. "No…" The Commander pulled Link aside, so that the surrounding men could not hear.

"Link!?" he scoffed under his breath. Link only nodded. "But… The sword." The Commander gazed at the sword on his back. "Is he―alive?"

Link looked down at his boots, the clarity of his mind now vanished, as it was now being overthrown by heart wrenching emotions. "I'm sorry. I did not reach him in time." The Commander closed his eyes and his lips thinned as he ground his teeth.

"Does _It_ answer to you now?" he asked, looking back at the sword.

"I don't know… That's what the Princess said."

"And the Princess?"

"Safe at the peak. With Lord Aron, and… Him." The Commander shuddered, furrowing his eyebrows, and rubbed the creases on his forehead. "Do we tell them? The men?" Link asked, terrified of Commander Nell's response.

The Commander grunted in angst. "No. Not yet," he whispered. "If they learn their King is dead now, they will lose all spirit and morale. They have to remain strong, or we will all die. Do not remove your helmet, at any point. Understood?"

"Are you sure?" he responded in a despondent whisper, ensuring that no one but the Commander heard him.

The Commander closed his eyes again, as if lost deep in thought. "Yes. I'm sure."

"It feels… wrong."

"I now. But there's no time. Now stand up straight, like a king. You have to convince them you are who they think you are."

Link stiffened his back. _Hylia alive, this feels so wrong. So dishonest. How could I dare to even pretend to be him? But he's right, the men have to stay strong. "_ Are you sure it will work? What if they see past it?"

"That is a risk we have to take."

"What are your orders?" he whispered, begrudgingly accepting his task.

"How are you with horseback combat?" the Commander asked after taking cover from an incoming cannonball.

"I have no reservations about it."

The Commander chuckled a little. "Good. Then I want to fall in with the Cavalry below. The horde is stuck on the Span, thanks to your efforts. When we have room to move we will drive them back in full force with the Cavalry." The Commander stood and grabbed onto Link's forearm, shaking it firmly. "Show them what it means to have courage. Show our men the brilliance of that sword on your back, but don't give yourself away."

"Yes Commander…"

Commander Nell shouted over the railing of the battlements, catching the attention of a young squire. "Dylan, go and fetch a horse for the King. He will be joining in the charge."

"Yes Commander!" With wide eyes the young boy, no doubt a knight-in-training, sprinted off to the stables, woefully avoiding the countless dead bodies.

"My King," Commander Nell began as if he were truly speaking to the alive and well leader, putting on a show for the soldiers around them. "We await your order." With a firm handshake he bid Link goodbye, pulling him in to whisper in his ear one last time. "For Hyrule. Chosen One."

 _Chosen One,_ he grunted to himself, as if the words were a bad taste in his mouth. Link descended the ladder, and walked over to the gathering cavalry. The squire that Commander Nell had shouted to before was already towing a bright white stallion to the front. The young boy bowed as he handed the reins to him.

"My King."

Link said nothing, only gesturing his gratitude with a simple nod of the head. Link mounted his new horse, adjusting himself in the saddle before trotting to the head of the cavalry, so that the men could not easily gaze into the slits in his visor. _Thank Hylia this helmet completely covers my face. I'm honestly amazed they've fallen for it this far. But I supposed most of them have never actually seen the King up close and personal, except maybe those from the Royal Guard from Hyrule Castle, but they all know exactly what the Master Sword looks like._ Heeding Commander Nell's advice, Link puffed out his chest, and tried to carry himself in a way that made him appear kingly. It was a notion that made him terribly uncomfortable. _I could never hope to live up to the standards of such a man as our King. Chosen by the sword or not, I am too weak. Surely I am unworthy._

 _But didn't you feel the power it gave you? How strong and single-minded you felt?_

 _Yes, but that was in the heat of the moment. It was all instinct._

 _Maybe that is all you need. Instinct._

 _That doesn't make sense. The stories always speak of an individual's worthiness. How am I worthy?_

 _There's no time to dwell on such things. You have work to do._

He began to form a rebuttal, however, he once again banished the ridiculous made up voice from his mind, summing it up to be his wild adrenaline-fueled imagination. _I suppose everyone has their own way of forming logical explanations for strange things. I guess this is just how my mind chooses to do it._

"Your grace! Its time!" A dark-skinned lieutenant strode up next to him, staring in wonder at the sword on Link's back. Link did not turn to face the lieutenant, fearing that he might be found out. He instead nodded, then silently drew the Master Sword from its sheath, reveling once again in the soft singing ring.

Despite his disdain for how everything was playing out, pretending to be the King and such, Link found resoluteness in the task he was about to face, once again feeling purpose seep back into his heart. _For Hyrule. For the innocent lives of Tarrey Town. For the Gerudo child I held in my arms. For my King. Worthy of the Sword or not, I pray for victory in the name of justice._ Link held the Master Sword high into the air, and the men of the Citadel cheered.

"For Hyrule," they chanted.

The front guard that barricaded the collapsed southern gateway split in the center, jumping to separate sides, allowing a few barbarians to leap over the short blockade. They halted in their advance when they spotted the amassing cavalry before them. Link pointed the Master Sword forward and spurred his horse into a gallop. The men at his back gave out a fierce war cry as they surged forward, running over the lone warriors with their horses. With relative ease, the Cavalry leapt over the small blockade, and charged down the center of the Akkala Span.

Link's heart raced, but he never faltered, nor did fear overtake him. His lip snarled and he joined in the heroic battle cry of his men, wildly swinging his sword left and right, cutting down the savages that dared to invade _his_ kingdom. The bright steel of the Master Sword glistened in the morning sun, blinding the ragtag warriors from the sea, and the ringing song echoed louder in his ears.

Arrows, spears, swords and, shields. Nothing stood in his way. Long-haired warrior, short-haired warrior, young warrior, old warrior. It did not matter to him. His horse stumbled and faltered as it crushed the bodies of his enemies beneath its hooves. _Thirty-thousand,_ he spat. _It could be twice that, and I would charge forward regardless._ His shield-brothers rode in formation to his left and right, righteous anger in their eyes. They too had experienced tremendous loss at these invaders expense.

Their enemies turned on their heels and ran, leaving behind their heavy cannons and ammunition. With rightful indignation, the Knights of the Citadel and the man they thought was their king valiantly charged against the horde of fleeting thirty-thousand, drastically outnumbered, but obstinate in their stance. Even if the specters made their untimely return, Link swore vengeance for his King, unwavering in his quest for justice. With his brothers by his side, and courage in their hearts he would fight these monsters to his own demise if he had to. Link began to count how many men he killed on the Span.

 _One._

 _Two._

 _Three…_

 _Eight._

 _Nine._

 _Ten…_

He lost count after twenty.

Hundreds, if not thousands of enemy cowards laid already dead on the stone bridge. Their throats had been cut by their brothers long before the charge, and Link cursed the savagery that they harbored even towards their own comrades. Like poison seeping into a wound, the hatred of his heart began to swell, taking place of the calmness he felt early. Such vile monsters did not deserve to live in his eyes _. What living and sentient being would dare to serve those abyssal creatures freely?_ he wondered. The very thought of it disgusted him. They chased the invaders to the West Sokkala Bridge, just south of the cascading Akkala Falls, preparing to seize the natural choke point, when their so far successful charge was cut to an unfortunate end.

Somewhere from the heavens erupted out a falling form engulfed in the same black flames of the specters they fought earlier that morning. Like a falling star it plummeted to the earth, until at the last moment it arched upwards, spewing a trail burning hot fire, cutting off the Cavalry's charge. The fire erupted skyward, forming an impenetrable wall of flames. The specter seemed to care little for the lives of Its army, as in the process of cutting off the Cavalry, it set hundreds of its own men on fire, before soaring back into the clouds and disappeared without a trace. The screams of the warriors pierced the Hylians' ears, and for a moment they pitied them. However, that pity was quickly corrupted by hatred. ' _It is what they deserve. They burned our innocent people in their homes. An eye for an eye.'_ It was the collective thoughts they all shared.

Without warning, the fire surged in a loud explosion, causing Link's horse to rear back, petrified by the flames, and he almost fell from his saddle. Horror struck him when he realized his helmet had fallen off, and already his nearby comrades opened their mouths in shattered disbelief. The King they followed valiantly in to battle was no king at all. It was a golden-haired boy, not even eighteen years of age. Link waited with bated breath, hardening his heart in preparation for the inevitable accusatory comments and anger that he was sure his brethren would lob at him. _They know it was all a lie now. They thought they were following their King into battle, and yet I stand before them, a mere shadow. I lied to them. I dared to take up the Sword of Evil's Bane, and pranced around as if I were a hero._ He waited in dreadful silence, staring at the disgruntled eyes of his men.

"Where is the King?" a lone voice asked. Link sheathed the Master Sword, as it had already lost its blue glow that erupted from its hilt when the specter came.

"The King is dead," he finally responded with a gravely and wavering voice. "He was killed fighting two of those specters."

"Why do you have _his_ sword?" another soldier asked in angst.

"In the moments before his death, I tried to save him." Link cleared his throat before continuing. "I had no weapon of my own and so I took up the Master Sword in his stead."

"I thought only those worthy enough could wield the Master Sword?"

"Maybe he _is_ worthy enough, didn't you see how he slaughtered his enemies with it? Until now, we all believed he was our King," cried a distant voice.

"But he's just a boy!"

"I'm sorry. I don't have answers for you! I'm in the dark just as much as you. But this is not the time, nor the place for this. Our enemies are just on the other side of this barrier. If we hurry we can cut through the Torin Wetlands, and flank them from the north."

None of the cavalrymen moved, as their minds finally solidified the reality that the hero they followed into battle was just an imposter. A brave and skilled knight perhaps, but still just a boy, a mere Sergeant in the Royal Guard. With heavy hearts they accepted the current situation and instead awaited the order of their lieutenant, following the true chain-of-command. Link bore no ill will against them for their weighty choice. _They're right. What authority do I have?_ He was just a Sergeant. Perhaps he was not out skilled by his brethren, but he certainly was drastically outranked by many of them. _Even if I am considered worthy of this sword, why should they follow me into battle? What have I done to deserve that respect? Nothing!_

The dark-skinned lieutenant rode forward a bit, before turning to face his company. "Gentlemen. We will ride back to the Citadel. Even though we managed to fight them back, and sent them on the retreat, it is obvious those _things_ will not allow us to hunt them down further. We will regroup, and await further instructions from Commander Nell. Understood?"

"Yes sir," they responded with downtrodden expressions. This was the loss of morale the Commander spoke of. In every Hylian knight was rooted the adoration and idolization of their valiant king, but it was truly despondent news on their ears to hear of the death of their beloved ruler, and their spirits sank low because of it.

"Tell me," the lieutenant began, speaking privately to Link. "Did he have an honorable death?" The lieutenant's rich brown eyes hung low, and his lips grew thin as he awaited to hear the disheartening news.

After a short pause Link responded quietly. "He died like a true hero… Even with his final breaths he showed the utmost courage and strength." Link closed his eyes and tucked in his chin, trying to maintain his composure.

"May the goddess smile down on him," he sighed with a solemn and straight voice. Without another word, the lieutenant spurred his horse and galloped away with drooping shoulders and bowed his hopeless head.

Link tarried a little longer, turning to gaze past the fiery barrier, and watched as his accursed enemy fled over the bridges of the Akkala Falls. At his back he heard the rumble of the cavalry as they raced back to the Citadel, leaving him to stand alone and broken hearted as he watched his enemy escape. Thoughts of charging through the Torin Wetlands alone passed his mind, but he knew it was a hopeless and reckless cause. Even if the Cavalry had gone with him, he knew that once the invaders were cornered they could easily turn back and overwhelm them through sheer numbers and brute force. In addition to that, he surmised that getting himself killed would never bring him to the vengeance he desired. _Why did the specters leave? With their help they could have easily over run the Citadel. Why do they toy with us like this?_

He could not think of a logical answer, and with every passing moment he could feel his courage and determination wavering as he stood completely alone on the mountain pass. His eyes began to well with angry and dejected tears, but he did not allow them to fall. _I'm done with tears. I'm done with weeping like a child._ Of all the emotions that ravaged and plundered his heart: anger, sadness, hatred, and desire; failure was the loudest and most painful of all. He failed to win over and inspire the hearts of the men that followed him in their charge, he failed to do anything more than fend of the terrible beings that killed his king, he faltered and collapsed under the weight of his own emotions, failing to remain stoic in the presence of his princess, and he failed to save the Gerudo child from Tarrey Town. In a jolted rush he pulled the Master Sword from his back, and stared into the warm steel of its blade, catching his reflection in its mirror-like polish.

"How am I worthy!?" he scoffed. He gritted his teeth, and sneered in anger, ignoring the ringing in his ears. "If you really did choose me, then you have chosen poorly!" With his free hand he unbuckled the strap around his chest, and pulled the sheath over his shoulder, placing the Legendary Sword back into its blue and gold scabbard. He wrapped the loose straps several times around the sheath, so that they would not be bothersome, and then he dismounted his horse for a moment, picking up his helmet from the soft earth. He donned it once again, admittedly too tired, and too weak to continue to conceal his emotion plagued expressions. Inside that helmet he knew no one could see his wet eyes or painfilled frowns, and so he gladly allowed the visor of his helmet to completely hide his face. He remounted his horse and spurred it into a canter, falling further behind the Cavalry that was already half a mile away. Still, he slowed his horse even more, not even feeling worthy enough to ride alongside the brothers he tricked.

The closer he came to the Citadel, the more it terrified him. Was he going to be the one to explain that their King was dead? Would he have to tell them that he paraded around in his likeness, fooling, and misleading them? At this revelation he pulled back on his reins, paralyzed by fear. He could imagine it so clearly in his mind. Their scornful looks, the hatred and disgust they would bear. He was sure that from that day forth, he would be the living reminder that their beloved King had died. He was certain that many would blame him, or that they would doubt his story. Looking back on it now, he realized that no one else saw what truly happened. Lord Aron was unconscious when he stumbled upon the scene, and the Princess did not arrive until he was already fighting off the specters as her father gasped for air, bleeding out on the ground. And the only other Royal Guards had already been killed. Who could verify his story? Who would convince the Knights of Hyrule that what he said was true?

 _What if they think I let him die, so that I could take up The Sword? Or worse, what if they think I murdered him!?_ He felt sick to his stomach, and his breathing grew strained. The Cavalry had already entered the Citadel, but Link remained absolutely still. His throat grew parched, sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his chest grew dreadfully hot. He looked to his left and right, trying to find any farfetched excuse to not enter the Citadel, but he found no such excuse on the now tranquil mountainsides. He would have rather fought the three terrifying specters alone than proceed over the bridge. His heart beat heavy in his chest and he attempted to hold the Master Sword in his off hand in a way that it would be concealed, but it was to no avail.

 _Duty is duty. I can't run from this._ He closed his eyes as he lifted his heels to spur his horse, kicking it into a slow canter. He held his breath as he led his horse to and over the Akkala Span, already seeing the soldiers on the gateway battlements staring at him as he drew nearer. Every one of them bore the same dead-eyed expression, marked by saddened brows, and downturned lips. It was obvious that the news was already spreading; that they already knew his crime. Link half imagined that they would bring out their bows and charge him with treason for being an imposter, but as he drew nearer, they remained motionless.

With every fall of his horse's hooves, his anxiety threatened to swallow him whole. However, he persevered, bringing himself to the blockade, and commanded his horse to jump over the short wall of rubble. Once he was on the other side he scanned the Citadel in horror as nearly every man in view stopped their work to stare down at him with unsure, and sad eyes. No one said a word to him. They only peered at him, darting their distrusting eyes from his helmet, to the sword in his lap. Link felt as if he would crumble under the weight of their gaze, but none of it compared to the horror he felt when he recognized a lone face in the crowd. On one of the far-left battlements above, he saw Jonathan's characteristically strong chin and dark hair, but in opposition of the usual glimmer in his eyes, his eyes were now solemn and worrisome. Did even his closet friend doubt him? Link could not say for sure. Not that he would blame him, as he barely believed in himself anymore, but the thought still sent a dagger through his heart.

Link did not remove his helmet, at this point they would have to pry it off him. He continued to lead his horse through the encampment of men, weaving his way through the crowd, looking away from their penetrating gaze. Every breath came in anguish as guilt ran rampant through his head. After he crossed the stone bridge that brought him upon the portcullis of the Keep he dismounted and tied off the reins of his horse. He carried the Master Sword at his side, angling it downwards so that it would be as unobtrusive looking as possible, but the awkward way his hand was held only made it more noticeable. He entered the Keep with timid steps, unsure of where to go. He did not find Commander Nell, nor any of the Citadel's officers, and so he considered returning to the peak.

 _The Princess is up there… Goddess, I don't know if I could keep it together._ He hesitated in choosing his next course of action, and his heart still raced inside his chest. Again, he felt his courage wavering as he was too terrified to bring himself before the Princess, in fear of breaking down again, mortified at the thought of being in the same room as the body of the King he ostensibly attempted to mimic not even an hour prior.

 _My room…_ No one would be there. It was the only place he could go to clear his mind and gather his composure. And so, he struck out in a brisk jog, traveling to the West Wing, and eventually made his way to his bedroom-storage closet. He sighed with relief when he entered the pitch-black room and closed the door behind him. He reveled in the way the room deprived him of his senses, lacking both notable sound and sight. After leaning the Master Sword against one of the many barrels that were stacked against the wall, he felt his way around to the rickety bed in the corner, and sat down on the edge of the lumpy mattress. Even in the privacy of his room he did not want to remove his helmet, and so he left it on as he listlessly stared at the wall that he could not see.

His body quaked with pain, but not pain in a physical sense. It was the pain of emotional trauma, and yet not a single tear fell from his eyes. He felt safe inside his cold steel helmet, and he wished that he would never be forced to take it off again. It wasn't even truly his, but the closeness of it was like a cradle for his head, and a shield for his emotions. He rested his heavy head in his open hands as his fingers felt the scratches and dents on the polished helmet, eventually rubbing against the dried-on blood that was on his visor.

 _Blood. Not hers. It's theirs'. Not his. It's theirs'. Not hers, its theirs'. Not his, its theirs'._ Again, and again he reassured himself of that truth, trying to find comfort in it, but it brought none. The sick feeling in his stomach did not go away, but he ignored it anyways. He continued to feel the scratches in his helmet, making it the tactile focus of his mind, fearing the moment when _she_ would make him take it off and speak his mind in every gruesome detail.

 _I wish I could hide my emotions as well as this helmet does. I wish that my tongue would not betray me. Had I been born a mute, perhaps my life would have been less emotionally taxing. No one could force me to say something, or share what was in my head. Perhaps then I could fully focus on maintaining an even expression, and become a truly faithful silent knight._

 _If only you could have been born a mute,_ the voice echoed.

 _But think of all the good that has come from you speaking up._

 _The good? Since when did abandoning your vow of silent and unwavering service count as good? How was having an emotional breakdown in front of the Princess even remotely a good thing? Even your shield-brothers followed you into battle when you did not say a word, and you concealed your face._

 _But think of all the people you have encouraged with kind words. Eric, Liam, Dan, that maid at the peak. Even Zelda._

 _You think those brief moments of 'encouragement' can even come close to equaling out all the failures? Because they can't!_

 _Enough of this!_

His nostrils flared in anger, and he ordered himself to stop wasting time of his own self-pity. To occupy his mind, he began to tap his foot, and counted the reps, as he rocked himself in his own arms. Eventually his heart rate slowed and his breathing returned to normal. _How could I do that to them? Fool them into thinking their King was alive. I don't care what the Princess said, The Sword did not choose me. I did not draw it from its pedestal, I merely picked it up and swung it around while adrenaline made me feel stronger. Even the King was wrong about me. It was all just his imagination._

Again, he changed the subject in his mind. _Even the way Jonathan stared at me. Goddess, they must all despise me. Why did I listen to Commander Nell? I knew it was wrong all along!_ He began to forcefully tap the sides of his helmet with his knuckles, feeling the slightly painful wave of energy pulsate through to his head, threatening to knock loose the tears that beaded on his bottom eye lid.

 _The King is dead! So many of my brothers are dead! That little girl, and many more innocent people are dead! And yet I sit here, locked away in my room like a coward. Despicable._ The anger festered in him longer until it snapped and he ripped the helmet from his head and threw it against the wall opposite of him. It clattered loudly on the stone walls and floors before it gently rolled around in the center of the room.

"What do I even do!?"

He heard no reply.

"I tried and I fail. I tried again, and I failed again. I could not save her. I could not save him. I could not even avenge them fully. I'm nothing but a failure!"

He wallowed in self-hatred for the better part of an hour until his sense of duty pulled him from his state of unrest. He reached down and picked up the helmet off the floor and pulled it back over his head, taking solemn comfort in it once more. He opened the door to leave but he stopped when he heard faint ringing in his ear. He furrowed his eyebrows and ground his teeth before deciding to hide he Master Sword under his mattress for safe keeping, as he was too ashamed to even carry it in his hands.

Link marched down the corridor, traversing to the northernmost section of the Keep, avoiding all contact with his shield-brothers, and stood before the elevator. With reluctant hands he opened the gate, but he did not set a foot inside. He tried to moisten his dry mouth and clear his throat, but no amount of fidgeting made him move forward. Looking down at his leather tunic he was startled to find the abhorrent amount of blood that stained it. _I can't present myself in front of the Princess like this… I need to find new armor._ Link would not admit to himself that this new excuse brought him a wave of relief, but deep down he could already feel one of the voices criticizing him for his cowardice. With new purpose he walked to the armory, taking his time so that he could drag out his roundabout course for as long as possible. He found that without the Master Sword on his back, most of the knights that passed him could not distinguish him from any other soldier, however they did seem to note the precarity of wearing a helmet indoors.

He scavenged the already scarce and barren armory, but with a little searching he managed to find a simple but heavy black cloth tunic (one that soldiers would often wear during sparing sessions), as well as a standard issue long sword. The tunic was a bit of a tight fit around his shoulders and chest, but after loosening the draw strings around the collar, he found it to be much more manageable. The long sword he found had a plethora of notches and dents in it, but it was still sharp and combat ready. He cast aside his bloodied leather armor, and redonned his pauldrons. Next was his hands and helmet. Finding a wash basin was a task all on its own, one that proved to be futile, but a distraction for Link nonetheless. When he finally admitted defeat, he settled on trying to smudge away the blood on his visor with a dirty cloth. It was not ideal, but it removed the majority of the blood. He examined his red tinged hands and gloves, noting that they shook and trembled without his knowledge.

 _Get ahold of yourself._ He willed his hands to stop shaking, ignoring the real reasons they did so, denying the edge of the cliff that his mind wandered dangerously close to. With his task complete he brought himself to the elevator, once again halting just before the threshold. He searched his mind for another task to complete before he brought himself to the Princess. _The prisoners!_ It struck his mind like a torrent, causing him to once again delaying his dreaded confrontation. After aimlessly wandering the busy corridors of the Keep, Link finally decided to ask for directions to the dungeons, committing the knight's instructions to memory. In the lowest eastern floor, he found the winding staircase that the knight spoke of. Already he could see countless barbarian deserters being led into the prison cells of the depths of the Citadel. Most of them were in a docile state by that point, although a few of them still writhed and screamed in anguish.

"I need to question one of those prisoners," he ordered to one of the lowly guards.

"What for? They don't even speak our language," he retorted with a twisted sneer.

"I know. But I need to find out anything that could point to who they are."

The guard eye Link with a suspicious glower, squinting to look inside his visor. "And who are you? What makes you think you can just order us around?"

He desperately wished he did not have to reveal who he was, as he feared it would only turn them further against him, but he knew that they would not relent. With reluctant hands he removed his helmet and tried to speak with as much confidence as he could muster. "I am the Princess's Appointed Knight."

"The Appointed Knight huh?" he mocked. "We heard that you took the Master Sword! Some say you stole it, others say you just picked it up as the King died. Why should we trust you!?" The knights hand tightened around the pommel of his sword as he stepped forward to glare at Link.

"I did not steal it! I tried to use it to save the King!"

"A lot of good that did! He's dead, and apparently you're the only one that saw it happen!" The knight slowly grasped his hand around the hilt of his sword, but did not draw it. "That makes me believe you're a key suspect in his death. Who knows what really happened."

 _Shit! It's just what I feared…_ "I swear it's the truth! He was killed by two of those specters! Didn't you see them?"

"Aye. I saw one of them. It sent my skin crawling." The knight shuddered a little bit, and his hateful scowl softened for a moment into a fearful gaze. However, it quickly returned to its accusatory frown. "I also heard that after you took The Sword you hid your face under that damn helmet and pretended to be the King… It's all just too coincidental if you ask me."

"Listen, we don't have time for this. I need to interrogate one of those prisoners. We have to figure out what these people want."

"Isn't it obvious what they want!? They want our lands! They're barbarians, they ransack and plunder. It's what they do."

"But I believe they are just the pawns of a much darker scheme. You have to listen to me!"

The knight came face to face with Link, trying to intimidate with the intensity of his eyes. "I have orders to keep these prisoners locked up. Seeing that you are not my superior, I have no reason to follow your commands. Now bugger off, you sniveling imposter!" The knight practically spat in his face with how he over pronounced the 'p' in 'imposter.' Using the back of his hand, Link wiped away the spit on his cheek, furrowing his eyebrows, holding back the urge to hit the guard across the face.

"Do as he says!" A familiar voice echoed in the dungeon. Link looked up to the winding staircase at his back, finding that Commander Nell was at the landing. "Let him interrogate one of them. Now." The knight jolted nervously.

"Yes sir! Forgive me sir." The knight timidly stepped away, pulling a small ring of keys from his pocket and began to unlock on of the cells, ordering two other guards to bring one of the prisons to the interrogation room. With a wave of his finger, the Commander ordered the knight to present himself in front of him. "Now you listen here. Link is not an imposter. He followed my direct orders to the dot. If I hear you spreading these false accusations anymore, you will face proper punishment for slander, do you understand!?"

"Yes Commander."

"Good. Now get out of my sight."

"Yes sir!" The knight slipped away like a child that had been chastised by its parent. The Commander shot a small but smart grin at Link, nodding with a knowing eye. The Commander gestured for Link to follow as he proceeded to the interrogation room where the lone prisoner was shackled to a wooden chair. The young warrior seemed compliant and relatively peaceful, a stark difference in behavior compared to the writhing a helpless screaming they set about earlier that day. However, Link could sense the fear and anguish in his facial expressions. His gray eyes darted around the room, as he examined every detail of the torch lit stone, as if he were an animal trying to find an escape route from its predator. Commander Nell stood a few feet away, crossing his arms, and carefully observed the bound prisoner with a watchful and quizzical eye. Link studied the warriors features and clothing intently. The long-haired warrior bore a much darker skin tone that that of an average Hylian, although it was not nearly as dark in comparison to that of a Gerudo. He had a long and drooping nose, thick bushy eye brows that were as black as the long hair on his head, and a scraggly beard grew on his chiseled chin. Around his neck hung necklaces of brightly colored beads and metal trinkets which bore strange runic characters. He wore a leather and fur shirt-like dressing which only added to his barbaric features, and on his legs, were loose-fitting but sturdy pants made of a loose canvas material, made for travel and heavy ware. Link noted that his ears were not pointed like a Hylian's, they were instead rather small and rounded.

"Can you understand me? Do you speak our language?" Link knelt slightly, so that his face was level with the warrior's eyes.

The warrior did not answer immediately, he only stared at Link with a confused expression. "Dre-alvindin unt ki." Link furrowed his eyebrows, trying to think of a way that they could come upon common understanding. An idea came to his mind, and he drew his sword, which made the warrior jump and squirm in fear. Link held the sword in a none threating way, to show that he did not intend to harm him… not yet at least. Holding it by the handle and blade, he presented it in front of the warrior.

"Sword. Sword." He nudged in in the air slightly, gesturing its significance. "Sword," he said again, very slowly. He waited for a moment, hoping that the warrior would understand.

"Sor,"

"Sword," Link restated, emphasizing the 'd.'

"Sword."

"Yes!" Link made sure to animate his responses with large gestures. Link pointed to his chest with a finger. "Link. Link."

"Ink."

Link shook his head, adamantly saying 'no,' then restated his name. "Link. Link."

"Link."

"Yes." Link then pointed to Commander Nell. "Nell. Nell."

"Nell."

"Yes!" Link then pointed his finger at the warrior, seeing if they could learn his name. The warrior nodded knowingly before speaking.

"Drodvaltol."

"Drod-vatin?" Link said, trying to mimic the warriors accent. The warrior shook his head before correcting him.

"Drodvaltol."

"Drodvaltol," Link repeated.

"Ji!" By the way the warrior excitedly nodded his head, Link assumed 'ji' meant 'yes' in their language. For a brief moment Link felt and exhilarating rush from their discovery and he almost forgot that he was at war with this warrior named Drodvaltol, letting go of his disdain and hatred, but it was a short-lived moment and soon the reality of their predicament hardened his heart against the warrior. However, Link could not help but notice how much calmer and more peaceful Drodvaltol seemed compared to his bloodthirsty brethren Link faced not long ago. Again, he examined the warrior's eyes, noting their gray color, as opposed to the almost pure black that he saw in the eyes of the berserkers.

 _Eyes. That can be our next word._ Link pointed to his left eye with a very precise finger. "Eye."

"Eye," Drodvaltol repeated. Trying his best to move with his bound hands, the warrior pointed up towards his face. "Vir."'

"Vir," Link returned.

"Ji!"

"Commander, you wouldn't happen to have any paper and a quill I could use, do you?"

The Commander pulled his attentive eyes away from Drodvaltol and looked at Link curiously. "Yes… I have some in my office. But why?"

"I'm going to try to communicate through drawings." The Commander nodded, then turned to leave for a moment, ordering for someone to fetch the supplies for them.

"What are you going to draw?"

"A boat on the sea. I'm going to try to direct the conversation towards where they came from… If we can even approach such a complex issue. I amazed he's being this compliant. I've never know prisoners to so easily give up information."

"I see what you're saying. I've never seen it either… Except for when a prisoner is innocent…"

"Innocent!?" Link scoffed. _How could he say such a thing!? These people are monsters!_ The Commander's forehead creased as his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm not sure. But doesn't it seem strange to you? These few invaders went from being bloodthirsty mad men, to collapsing on the ground and giving up entirely the moment that shockwave shook the entire Citadel."

"Shockwave?" Link asked, utterly perplexed.

"Did you not feel it? Moments after the red-flamed specter disappeared we heard a loud boom and then out of nowhere we were all knocked over by this strange wave of energy."

Link cursed his slowness when he remembered what happened when he broke the amulet hanging around the blue-flamed specter's neck. It all happened so quick, that he brushed the occurrence aside. "You're right… I forgot. I know what caused that shockwave! When I was fighting the specters in the courtyard, I managed to break a strange amulet that one of them wore. The moment it broke I was knocked back by the same wave of energy. It just happened so fast…"

"I'm not trying to say they're innocent. But something very fishy is going. And those specters are behind it." The pondered the issue in silence for a brief moment until they were interrupted by a courier bringing them the paper and ink they requested. With the best artistry that Link could muster, he began to draw out the form of a ship, in the resemblance to the ones they sailed in, as well as the crashing waves of the ocean. When he was satisfied of his portrayal, he presented it to Drodvaltol, pointing at the ship first.

"Ship. Ship."

"Shit."

Link chuckled a little. "No. Ship." He put extra emphasis on the 'p.'

"Ship."

"Yes." He then pointed to the water. "Sea. Sea."

"Sea."

"Yes! Excellent." He then held the paper close to Drodvaltol so that he could point, and gestured for him to name them.

Drodvaltol pointed to the ship first. "Ekvile-shode."

"Ekvile-shode?"

"Ji."

Drodvaltol then pointed to the sea. "Sasherav-min."

"What!?" Link's eyes widened and his mouth hung open. It couldn't be true. _No… It can't be…_

"Sasherav-min," Drodvaltol corrected.

"Link. What is the matter?" the Commander asked, his voice torn with worry seeing Link's alarming expression.

"Commander. I know who these people are…"

"What!?" he retorted. Link ignored his question as he surged forward and grabbed onto Drodvaltol's shoulders.

"MiarindÍl?" he asked with horror. Drodvaltol's frightened eyes immediately changed from fear to disbelief, as his head tilted and his mouth opened.

"…MiarndÍl et Damel lod vin." Link let go of Drodvaltol, so stunned by the revelation that Commander Nell had to order him to explain.

"Link! What does that mean? Who are these invaders?"

"Commander… These are the descendants of the ancient Faronish people."

"What? But that tribe has been dead for thousands of years! They just disappeared. Vanished out of thin air."

"No. 10,000 years ago, before the first invasion of Calamity Ganon, they set sail on the Great Sea in search of new lands. They've come back, Commander."

"How do you know this!?" Commander Nell asked, still apprehensive about believing him.

"I was stuck in Damel Forest for a month. I learned a thing or two while I was there. I met someone in that forest that explained to me what happened all those years ago. If I can get Drodvaltol to her, she can translate everything he is saying!"

"Link, slow down! Who is this person? How do you know she can be trusted?"

"She is the Caretaker of Faron. She was there the day it happened!"

"The Caretaker!? Link, those were fairytales that we would tell our children."

"No Commander, I swear to you! The Princess can swear by it as well. She has met MiarindÍl before, when I escorted her to the Spring of Courage. She has met the caretaker." Link placed a firm grip on the Commanders shoulder, anchoring him to reality.

The Commander was dumbfounded. It was just too much information to swallow all at once. He vigorously rubbed the creases in his forehead with his hand, trying to break down the information into more manageable chunks. "Link, until the Princess can verify your claim there is nothing we can do. These are prisoners-of-war, and unless you can offer proof of your claim, or if the Princess can confirm it, then I cannot allow you to take one of them all the way to Faron!"

Link sneered under his breath, but he understood the Commander's stance on the matter. He sighed then reluctantly agreed before his mind slipped back to darker and depressing thoughts. "Commander… We cannot ask this of the Princess. Not yet…"

"I know." The Commander's head sank as the excitement of their progress was shattered by the unfortunate return to the reality of the situation. "Link. We need to get him, and the Princess back to Hyrule Castle before those invaders return."

The two men stood in utter silence, both with sinking spirits and failing morale. "I pray the goddess helps that poor girl. She will need all the strength and courage she can muster." The Commander's voice was soft and sad.

"I know… It breaks my heart."

The Commander closed his eyes and sighed in anguish. "May the King rest in peace."

"And may the stars guide him to the afterlife…"

 _Honest. Kind. Courageous. That is what my King was. That is what I wish I could be._

* * *

 _ **Authors notes:**_

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! I can never thank everyone enough for all the kind reviews and support that you all have shown me. Many many many thanks my friends! I look forward to writing each and every chapter!

Anyways, I figured since there was a lot of foreign speaking in this chapter I would make a quick pronunciation guide for the words in this chapter:

Drodvaltol (name) - _Drowed-val-toll (Drowed rhymes with road.)_

Ji (yes) – _Ge (rhymes with gee as in 'ah gee guys')_

Vir (eye) – _Veer_

Ekvile-shode (Ship, or Wooden-vessel) – _Eek-veil-showed_

Sasherav-min (Sea) – _Sash-erav-men (Men has a slight 'i' sound.)_

Liadin (A verbal expression of extreme pain commonly spoken among the Faronish people. Much like "Ow" for English). – _Lia-din_


	21. The Scorned Knight

_Chapter twenty-one, The Scorned Knight_

"Where's the Master Sword?" Commander Nell asked as he walked side by side with Link on their way out from the dungeons. Link curled the corner of his mouth, hoping that the topic could have been avoided, but unfortunately the Sword of Evil's Bane was too tremendous of a sight to merely forget, especially in its absence.

"I hid it safely away, Commander," he replied curtly. The Commander stopped briefly, and shot Link a muddled expression.

"Why, if I may ask?"

Link rolled his tense shoulders, still dreadfully uneasy about the situation. "It just―doesn't feel right. I can't stand to carry that sword. You should've seen the way all the men looked at me when they found out." Link looked down at his boots in disdain, noticing how they were covered in a mixture of mud and blood. "I've never felt so ashamed," he said, forcing himself to look the Commander in the eye, determined to show him proper respect.

"Ashamed!? You followed my orders."

Link sighed, hesitant to speak further. "May I have your permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Very well."

"I know _why_ you ordered me to pretend to be the King. I'm not trying to deny that, but I also cannot deny that I believe it was a heavily miscalculated step." Link chose his words very carefully, as he was keen on not insulting the Commander's intuition. "Commander, I lied to those men. I made them believe I was someone else… I paraded around in a dead man's boots so to speak. I wielded a sword that I had no right to use, I can't help but feel like I took advantage of them, and insulted the King's good name." Link began to choke up a little, but he shook it off quicker than it started. "Speaking plainly, sir, I have committed a crime against my own brothers in their greatest time of need, and dishonored my King by being an imposter."

Commander Nell considered his words very carefully, taking on the burdensome weight with jagged eyes. "I cannot say I agree entirely, as I still believe that we successfully fought off the invaders because of the morale your disguise brought. However, I see your point." The Commander began to walk again, gesturing for Link to follow. "Link, I wish to apologize. In the heat of the moment I did not fully comprehend the possible backlash to this plan, nor did I see the true extent of the situation. Seeing that a lowly dungeon guard would have the audacity to spit in your face, I fear that I have unintentionally pitted your own brothers against you." Commander Nell looked him right in the eyes when he continued. "I promise that I will do everything in my power to clear your name, and take on the responsibility, but I fear the damage may have already been done."

Link stressfully ground his teeth. Hearing Commander Nell renounce his previous order only made him feel more ashamed and angry at himself. "Commander, you only did what you thought was best, and it worked. You should not have to take the blame. I will willing accept any punishment Lord Aron deems appropriate. I was the one who took up the sword wrongly in the first place."

"Quite frankly this is a matter that is outside of his jurisdiction. Seeing the gravity of the situation, only the Queen can decide that now."

"Then I will willing accept any punishment the Queen deems appropriate."

"And I will fight to prevent that. You were under my direct orders. The blame falls on me."

"But you did not order me to take up the Master Sword! That falls on me, Commander." Link's voice began to grow a little harsher, admittedly he was more upset with himself than his officer.

The Commander squinted his eyes, still obstinate on his stance. "No, I did not. But the Princess did. Or at least, that is how you explained it to me."

Link paused for a moment. "After I fought those specters using the Master Sword, and I carried―his body―to the peak, the Princess gave it back to me, saying that it answered to me now. But she was wrong. I am not worthy of it, the sword is not mine to use. Perhaps in that brief moment it was necessary, but not anymore." Link straightened his gaze and stared down to the end of the hallway, wishing the conversation would end.

"Did the King say anything to you?"

Link hesitated for a moment, realizing that he had already forgot the Kings words. "Well… He said the same thing the Princess said; that the sword answered to me, but it can't be true, I am not worthy of it."

"But the legend says that only those who are worthy can wield it. How could you wield it if you are not worthy?"

"It is because it was already pulled from its pedestal, therefore its trial was already complete. I merely used the sword without taking the test."

The Commander's eyebrows furrowed as he mulled over the information he was given. "I just don't know. But we don't have time to answer these questions. I will trust your judgement on the matter. If you truly believe that the Master Sword has not chosen you, then I would suggest you return it to the Princess until we can sort out this mess."

"I planned on doing just that. Although I fear she will not accept its return." Link took a deep breath, allowing his wild emotions to settle. "Besides. Now is not the time…"

"I suppose you're right," the Commander sighed, joining in on Link's misery. "Perhaps you should just keep it quiet for now." They reached the end of the hallway, and the Commander went to go right, opposite of where Link was heading. "I will have arrangements made for your travel back to Hyrule Castle. You and the Princess leave today… With the King. You will lead the convoy, as I am assigning a score of men to ensure safe travels. I will send word when its time. We will discuss the matter of the prisoners later."

"Yes, Commander." Link saluted, then turned left to return to his room. His heavy mind returned to the pressing matter of Drodvaltol, and the Faronish people. _MiarindÍl said that they were peaceful people. Why would they invade here? Did she lie to me?_ He dismissed the last question, as it he could not back up the claim with logical reasons. _Why would she need to lie about it? For all she knew, her people were long gone and dead, never to be seen again._ Link began to form his plan of how he would get on of the prisoners to Faron for questioning. Once they would return to the castle, and the King laid to rest, he would ask for the Queens blessing and permission to return to the Citadel, take on of the prisoners, ideally Drodvaltol, and return to MiarindÍl. Once there, he hoped that she could translate everything the prisoner said, and use her vision to see into his mind to find out why they were here, and who the specters were.

The whole scenario was bizarre to him. What were the chances that he had met the once person in all of Hyrule that would know anything about these invaders? Perhaps he had a small role to play in the kingdoms future, but upon this conclusion he stubbornly determined that his role did not extend into the responsibility of The Sword. _When the time is right, I will return The Sword to its rightful place, to await its Chosen One._ He would not admit to himself that perhaps the Princess was right. Maybe he was chosen by The Sword, destined to fight back the Evil, but with every fiber in his being he truly wanted to believe that he could not possibly be worthy of that destiny, and denied any possibility of its validity. _Once a simple knight, always a simple knight. Nothing more, nothing less,_ he reassured himself. The mere thought of him being chosen brought waves of fear to his heart; all he ever wanted was to be a loyal knight of the realm, not some prodigal hero. _Besides. Every man in this Citadel resents me. They would never see me as some hero. I would be quite the opposite I'm sure._

Link continued further down his path, passing several knights who either glared at him suspiciously, or squinted their eyes, trying to determine if he was indeed the rumored imposter. He ran his fingers around the rim of his helmet, contemplating donning it again. _No. I might as well get used to their hatred._ He tucked it further under his arm, and turned left, walking down the corridor that led to his shabby and damp closet-room. Once inside, he felt around until he happened upon the wooden bedframe in the corner, and ensured that the Master Sword was still tucked safely away under the mattress. His finger grasped the scabbard, and he could feel the ornate golden details that covered the rich blue sheath. It was warm in his hand, the clear indicator that it was not a mere sword, but a mystical weapon, imbued with mysterious and tremendous power. Reluctantly he pulled it out from underneath the bed, inspecting the purple hilt and handle in the dim light that seeped through the doorway. He sighed, unsure of what he would do. While he was absolutely certain that he would not carry the sword on his back, he knew that if the Princess were to see him without it would cause her to become upset, which he had to avoid at all cost. He was stuck between a rock in a hard place, trapped between his own pride and the hatred the knights bore towards him, and the commands of his Princess. There was not right answer in his eye. He was too ashamed to carry it on his back, and yet duty-bound to do just that, so that he would not upset her. _It would kill me to bring any unnecessary strife while she is mourning her father._ The compromise he came upon was that he would simply carry the sheathed Master Sword in his hand, like he did when he returned to the Citadel. He pondered the issue a little longer. _Maybe I can make it more convincing._ At that moment, a horrid and disingenuous idea came to his head. He thought about using the longsword tied on his hip to cut a piece of the leather strap so that the buckle would break loose. It would make it impossible to secure to his back, and then he would claim it to be his excuse for not bearing it. _Yes, do it you_ _coward,_ one voice shouted at him. _Please don't do it,_ begged the other.

 _I'm sorry father, but I can't stand it. I am a dishonest man to the core. I do not have the strength or will to carry this burden. I am doomed to bring shame no matter what I do now, so I might as well make the best of it._ He drew his sword to begin cutting away at the buckle but he hesitated, frozen at the cusp of his decision. No amount of brash words from the darker of the two voices could make him break it.

"Dammit!" Unable to bring himself to such dishonesty, he sheathed his long sword, and wrapped the belt of the Master Sword around its scabbard so that he could carry it in one hand unburdened. He closed his eyes for a moment and took in a deep breath to calm his rising heartrate, before finally exiting his room. His boots echoed on the lonely corridor, until he suddenly heard the loud clatter of footsteps coming from around the corner. He hiked his helmet up under his arm further, and gripped the Master Sword so that it would hang to his side, pointed towards floor, pressed against his leg, effectively reducing its profile. Three knights turned the corner, and judging by their armor he knew that they were a part of the Cavalry, no doubt some of the men that followed him in the charge. Link stepped closer to one side of the wall, praying that they would just pass him by, but as they drew close it was obvious that they knew exactly who he was.

"Hiding in your little corner, huh?" the leader scoffed, glaring as he walked forward. Link said nothing, and maintained his steady pace, until they cut him off. "I asked you a question, Sergeant."

Link held his ground, and puffed out his chest. "I was getting something from my room. Now I'm needed at the peak." Link took one step, intending to brush past them, but the knights held out their elbows, preventing him from passing.

"Is that where you hid all your disguises?" the leader sneered. He was so close that Link could feel his breath, but he did not back down or look away. "I hope you're happy with yourself, imposter."

"I followed my orders. I did not ask for this!"

"'Oh I followed my orders,'" he mocked. "Is that what you said when you robbed the King of his sword?"

"I don't have time for this," Link declared before he forced his way through the group, nearly stumbling on their feet. When he broke through he shifted his shoulders and grip so that he could better hold The Sword, and his helmet. Without warning he felt a strong hand around his shoulder as he was jerked back around. Before he could even see what happened, something hit his temple with such force that he blacked out for a moment and fell to the ground. Blood poured out from his busted eyebrow, blinding his right eye, and his eyes watered from the pain. His head jarred around wildly, and his sense of balance was completely disrupted, making it impossible to stand. Through the hazy and lacking vison of his left eye he looked up to see that the leader's metal-gloved hand was wound tightly in a fist, and had his blood on the knuckles. It took him a moment to realize what had happened. When his back was turned, the knight had jerked him back and swung at him with his full strength and metal gauntlet. Despite his best efforts, Link could not stand, and so he settled on kicking away, but his attacker perused, and pinned him down on the ground with his heavy and armor cased boot.

"How dare you!" The knight sneered through his teeth, his face was red from anger. "How dare you mock the King like that. How dare you steal his sword as he died. Was it you that killed him? Did you stab him in the back so that you could take his sword, and galivant around like you're a hero?" Link used his foot to kick the knight away, and he eventually managed to stumble to a stand, but the two other knights wrapped their hands around his arms and pinned him against the wall, holding his legs back by standing on his feet.

"I did not kill him! Those specters did! I only picked up the sword because I had no weapon of my own―"

"And so you decided to insult the King in the hour of his death to play little games, and waltz around like you're a big deal? You disgust me!" He punched Link in the stomach, causing him to lose all the air in his lungs as he crippled over.

"I'm sorry," he finally gasped. Link writhed and tried to free himself, but the two knights firmly held him against the wall. "I did what I thought was right in that moment! I never wanted to insult the King, or mislead you! I didn't want to pretend to be the King, I was only following my orders."

"Why should we believe you!? No one trusted you to begin with. And now that you have done this, we never will trust you!" Again, he struck Link in the face with his jagged metal fist, sending his head into a dizzying swirl of pain and haze, incapable of fighting back. He had fought against much worse odds before, but that was when he was expecting it. That was when he was facing off against people that were his enemies, but this; he did not expect such an assault from his own comrades when his back was turned and he was unaware. He could not see the Master Sword or his helmet, the latter he desperately wished he had, as it would have protected his face.

"How does it feel, traitor? How does it feel to be the most hated knight in Hyrule? Was it worth it, imposter?" Link did not respond, entirely to shaken up and incapable of forming cohesive arguments at the current moment. "We will see what punishment Lord Aron deems worthy of such a pig as yourself." With their last spiteful comments spat at him, they let him go and he helplessly slumped to the floor, neither wishing to fight back, nor possessed the strength or will to respond to the cheap shot. They stormed off in angry footsteps, leaving him alone in the solitude of the corridor.

Link sat there, still attempting to regaining his full cognition, wiping away the blood and tears from his eyes. The cut on his brow was but a small horizontal gash, no bigger than a coin, but it bled profusely, and so he had to sit still as he applied firm and painful pressure to it. Again, he cursed his weakness. _What if they had intended to kill you!? You would have been helpless to stop them! How could you let your guard down like that? After killing countless savages, you fall prey to a mere three knights? Despicable. They're right. You are just a disgusting coward. You should have never picked up that sword._

 _No! You did what you thought was best! You didn't pick up that sword because you wanted to, you did it because you needed to!_

 _Well did you need to insult the King by pretending to be him!?_

 _It wasn't like that! You know it wasn't! You did not ask for that!_

 _But you followed the Commander's order anyways! You knew it was wrong all along. It's like you danced on his grave, and cursed his name. Why don't you just usurp his throne while you're at it!?_

 _The King himself told you were the next Chosen Hero! Does that mean nothing to you?_

 _The King. The Princess. They were both wrong. They don't know how messed up and pathetic you are._

 _Oh just shut up!_ Link winced and grunted, to angry to deal with the battle in his head. After what seemed like an eternity, the bleeding finally stopped, and he finally felt stable enough to stand. The side of his face ached, and his head pounded, but he managed to shake off the blinding pain. After picking up his helmet and the Master Sword he shuffled back to his room and found a small rag from his bag. He used the coarse rag to wipe away the blood that ran down his cheek, taking great care to not disturb the blood that clotted up the gash on his brow, as it was preventing it from bleeding further. When no more blood came off his face or eyelid he discarded the rag and put on his helmet.

Despite the weight it put on his aching head, it was a relief and a weight of his chest to feel its cold embrace once again. _I promise to only take you off when it's absolutely necessary._ It made him feel pathetic; taking comfort in an inanimate object, but what else, or who else would he turn to? His own mind was at war, everyone in the Citadel hated him, and he could not and would not express his troubles to the Princess. Especially now! Jonathan and Commander Nell were the only people he thought would come close, but the Commander was his superior, so he could not seek comfort from him, and he figured Jonathan would despise him like the other men.

 _Such is the price for failure._ When he was confident he could go on without stumbling, or show any signs of pain, he struck grudgingly out again to venture to the peak. He held the Master Sword in his hand as he walked, occasionally glancing down at it in disgust. Whereas before it was merely a disheartening object to him _,_ it was now becoming a source of his anguish and anger. _All this pain because of you,_ he swore. _You and my own stupidity._ He was ready to be rid of the fabled Master Sword. All his life he heard of its glamour and power; stories that he once gobbled up with fanatic adoration, but now that he was given the responsibility of being its temporary courier, he grew to loath it for the suffering it brought to him. _Soon I'll be free from you. Then I can return to my true duty… That is unless I am found guilty of treason._ He shuddered from the thought. Realistically, he imagined the Princess would never allow that to happen, but it was still a possible reality that he might face, now that all the cards were in the air. _Lord Aron has a real reason to put me behind bars now. Despite what Commander Nell says, he very much could determine my fate, should he feel that bold._

His stomach grumbled, stirring him from his spouts of self-loathing. He could not even remember the last time he had eaten. It seemed that hunger was a recurring theme that he began to grow more accustom to, but even he had his limits. His muscles felt sluggish and his eyes were red and heavy. The toll of war and emotional trauma were taking their effects on him, but he kept walking, feeling like a small boat trapped in a sea of crashing waves that threated to capsize him and send him into insanity. The knowledge that he was now the most despised knight in the Citadel weighed heavy on his heart, but he did not allow self-pity to consume him, as he reassured himself that he deserved the beating he received at the hands of his comrades.

His chest constricted when he reached the entrance to the elevator, still anxious to present himself to his Princess. There was no putting off this time, however, and so after he stepped on and close the gate, he threw the switch and ascended to the peak. The air was freezing at the top, as a cold westerly wind had blown in, further solidifying the fact that an early winter would soon set in the coming weeks. Link cautiously approached the front door of the manor, being stopped by a lone guard.

"State your business."

"I am the Princess's Appointed Knight. I've come to report back to her."

The guard glared critically, and observed the Master Sword in his hand, and squinted at his visor. "I've heard some nasty rumors about you. I will send word to Lord Aron before I allow you in. If he allows you in that is."

Link grunted, but did not verbally protest. "Very well."

The guard leaned in through the door and spoke to one of the nearby footmen, ordering him to alert Lord Aron of Link's arrival. After a few minutes the footmen returned, and gestured for Link to enter. Inside was much warmer, but he did not pay much attention to it. He peered to the left, looking at the table that he had laid the King's body on, noting that the white linens were now removed, but the King was nowhere to be seen.

"Lord Aron is in his study resting his head. He says that you are to report to him immediately."

Link nodded apprehensively, feeling as if he were walking into a trap. He pressed the feeling from his mind and proceeded to the study, and knocked on the large wooden door. He heard no reply, and so he raised his hand to knock again but then the door flew open, and a young guard ushered him in. Lord Aron was sitting at his desk, feet propped up, and he was leaned back with a wet rag wrapped around his head with his eyes closed. In his hand was a small glass of what appeared to be a strong liquor, which he downed with a grimace. The fair lord paid no heed to Link as he entered, obviously in a lot of pain from his head injury. When Link brought himself to stand in front of Lord Aron's desk, he bowed dutifully, greeting him with 'my lord.' The young lord opened his left eye and gazed up at him with a look of distaste, as if the very light he cast was giving him a headache.

"Remove your helmet, you oaf," he ordered with a sarcastic tone. Link did as he commanded, taking extra care to avoid scraping the gash on his brow. Lord Aron squinted at the bloody cut, before continuing with a repulsed grunt. "Never mind. I see now why you wore it. You may put it back on if you wish." Link did not immediately replace it, deciding that he would wear it once he was dismissed. "I have already gathered a report from Commander Nell about what happened with the Cavalry. But I'm not interested in that right now. I want to know what happened in the courtyard. Tell me exactly what happened after I was knocked unconscious."

Link was admittedly taken aback. He imagined that Lord Aron would have charged him with treason on the spot, and would have had him arrested, but he uncharacteristically seemed willing to hear his report. "Well. As I was leading the Princess to the peak, the red-flamed specter cut us off. I fought it off for a moment but then it disappeared and reappeared, and knocked me over the railing of the staircase, and I fell to the level below. My sword must have fallen off the cliff, as I could not find it anywhere when I awoke. The Princess used her powers to fend off the specter, and even managed to send it on the retreat. When I climbed the stairs to rush back to the Princess, I watched as one of those―things―drove its sword through the Kings chest while he was pinned down." Link closed his eyes and cleared his throat before he continued.

"I hesitated, unsure of what to do, until I saw the Master Sword on the ground nearby. And so, I picked it up with the intent of killing the specters. I fought off two of them for a time, but then the third one showed up and I began to waver. It wasn't until the Princess saved me that I was able to strike at one of them, and I broke some strange amulet around its neck that sent out a power shockwave. When everything was said and done, they retreated, unable to break past the barrier set by the Princess." The memory played back in his mind in rapid flashes of imagery, and his voice trembled.

"The King spoke his final goodbyes and then―he passed. I carried his body to the peak, and then I carried you up as well. It was then that the Princess gave the Master Sword to me and declared that it answered to me. From there I went to join the others in battle, and the rest of what followed is what Commander Nell should have covered already…" Link felt winded after his rushed report, just thankful that he held it together.

Lord Aron did not move or open his eyes. He only sighed. "And does the Master Sword answer to you?"

Again, Lord Aron's calmness pleasantly surprised Link. While his tone wasn't exactly pleasant, it did not bear the same condescending air. "That is what the Princess said. Even the King shared the same idea, but I don't agree."

Lord Aron's eye opened slightly as he shot a skeptical glance. "Then why would you use it to fight further?"

Link fidgeted, anxiously forming his words carefully. "In the heat of the moment it did not cross my mind. It was not until after it was done that I realized my transgression. I did what I had to do to fight back the specters, but my extended use of it afterwards was unnecessary and wrong, even if they said I should." Link bowed down slightly, still feeling that he deserved punishment for his 'crime.' "Lord Aron, I willingly give myself to your judgement for my trespasses. I wielded the Master Sword under false pretenses after it was no longer necessary for me to use, and I impersonated the King at the order of Commander Nell, even though I knew it was a great sin."

Lord Aron grunted, half amused and half annoyed. "Don't you ever get tired of being all self-righteous?" It certainly wasn't the response he expected.

"I merely wish to do what is right, my lord."

Lord Aron sighed before lowering his legs, and rested his elbows on his desk, removing the cool rag from his head. "I've been hearing a lot of rumors about you. Seems like the men aren't too pleased with your―performance. What are your thoughts on the matter?" He motioned for Link to stand up straight, which he did gladly as lowering his head made it pound harder.

"It of course brings me great pain, but I understand their anger." Link dipped his chin slightly, feeling the tension in the back of his neck.

"Judging by the freshness of the blood on your brow, I imagine you've already had a pleasant run in with your sour shield-brothers?"

"… Yes, my lord. Hence the helmet. Its rather unpleasant to look at, I'm sure." Link's voice was melancholy.

Lord Aron grunted again, raising his eyebrows slight before changing the subject. "Well, seeing that both the Princess and the King ordered you to carry The Sword, there are no disciplinary actions that I can take." He grimaced in pain as he carefully stood from his chair, and walked to the small alcohol table to his right. He poured himself another drink, and drank it in one large gulp. "That is up to the Queen now." He poured two glasses, and then handed one to Link. It was a gesture of mutual understanding that made Link almost respect the arrogant lord who now seemed humbled by his near-death experience. "Besides. Were it not for your actions, I fear I would not be alive. And from what I gather from Commander Nell's report, we would still be fighting off those brutes. Regardless of how the other men feel, you did what you were told." Link was dumbfounded by his statement. From the moment Lord Aron had met him he was always actively trying to antagonize him, to the point of threatening to whip him, but now seemed like a completely different man. Perhaps the events of that early morning changed something deep within him. Lord Aron shuffled back to his chair before painfully falling into it. Link drank his liquor, feeling it burn his throat on the way down, but it was a nice change in senses.

"Returning to the topic of The Sword, how were you able to wield it if you are not even worthy?"

Link took another sip from his drink before continuing. "I explained to Commander Nell that I believe I was able to bear it because it was already drawn from its pedestal, and thus its trial complete. It is because of that fact that I think I was able to use it as if it were any other sword…" He omitted that part about how it made him feel _stronger,_ as he still dismissed it as mere adrenaline.

Lord Aron contemplated his words with stern eyes. "So," he continued with a gravelly voice. "What will you do with the Master Sword, since it seems you are not truly worthy of it?"

"When the time is right, I will return it to the Royal Family, or to its proper resting place. Although for now, I will merely ensure its safety, but I will not wield it." Link held the Master Sword out slightly as he studied the immaculate weapon. "I fear that my rejection of it might upset the Princess, which is the last thing we need, given the―situation." His words weighed heavily on Lord Aron, as he only nodded slowly, gazing off to the corner listlessly. Even the lord renowned for his charisma and charm was unabashedly saddened by the King's tragic death.

"That's probably for the best." Lord Aron leaned forward again, and rested his elbows on the desk, rubbing his tired eyes. "We have so much work to do. There's so much that we don't know, but we cannot let our guard down for even a second. Those bastards could come back any minute, which is why you and the Princess will be escorted back to Hyrule Castle along with the King as soon as the preparations are complete."

"Yes, my lord. Commander Nell already informed me." Link considered bringing up their discovery in the dungeons, but seeing that it was just another drop of water in the already overflowing cup of 'things to worry about,' he decided that he would bring up the matter at a more appropriate time. They had more pressing matters to attend to, and it was about time for him to report to the Princess.

"Good. You are dismissed then."

"Thank you, my lord." Link bowed and then left the room, admittedly relived with how smoothly their conversation had went. Of all the men in the Citadel he thought would inspect the situation with a reasonable and cautious eye, Lord Aron was certainly not one of them. Regardless, Link appreciated the change of heart. After speaking with one of the servants, he learned that the Princess was still with her father's body in the head physician's office on the far east corner of the manor. Unenthusiastically, he donned his helmet and made his way through the many hallways and corridors, eventually coming upon the threshold of what he assumed was the office of Lieutenant Emanuel, the head medical officer. He leaned his ear in to see if he could hear anyone inside, but either there was no noise to be heard, or his helmet made it too difficult to hear properly. He quietly knocked on the door and awaited a reply. After a brief pause the handle jostled, and then the door creaked open slightly. A middle-aged man with graying hair, and a crooked nose peered outside, and squinted up into Link's visor.

"May I help you?" he asked with a very quiet voice.

"I was told Princess Zelda is here," he whispered.

"And you are?"

"Her Appointed Knight. I have come to report back to her." Link brought forward the Master Sword, showing it as proof to who he was, instead of removing his helmet.

"I will speak with her privately for a moment." He leaned out further and spoke even quieter. "Now might now be the best time. She refuses to leave, despite my insistence. She's practically fallen asleep in my office."

"Of course, Lieutenant. Whatever makes her the most comfortable." When the door closed Link allowed his shoulder to slouch, feeling stamped down by the crushing weight of depression. He took the moment of silence as a chance to give himself a pep talk, swearing to be bear his emotions with strength and courage, for the Princess's sake. _She will need every ounce of her courage, and I will be there, as her unwavering support; staying within the realms of appropriateness, of course._

 _Hylia bless her poor soul, and give me the strength to carry her burdens in any way I can. I as for strength for I am weak and unworthy, but with your blessing I hope that I can be the foundation on which she stands. Help me be a faithful and loyal servant._

When his prayer concluded, the door creaked back open, and the Lieutenant gestured for Link to enter slowly. The room was dim, and a heavy feeling of sorrow hung in the very atmosphere. In the center of the room, on a large wooden table was laid out a figure, draped in a white linen. His heart stopped, then proceeded, as he took one silent step after another. On the right wall there was an open door which led to a small room which had the medical officers desk and records, along with countless shelves of medical supplies and elixirs. His princess sat in a small recliner in the far-right corner, leaning in to the high back of the chair, her arm propped up and supporting her head, concealing her eyes. It looked like she had fallen asleep in the time it took for Lieutenant Emanuel to retrieve him. Link's footsteps did not make a sound, as he brought himself before his shattered and broken lady. Being just as quiet as before, Link got down on both knees―the unequivocal show of complete sympathy and submission―and bowed his head so low that it almost touched the floor at her feet. It was the humbleness of a servant that truly cared for and respected his master, desiring nothing more than her wellbeing, no matter the circumstances. He held the Master Sword by the scabbard in both hands, clutching in the crook of his bent torso. His sudden appearance startled her, as he was so stealthy that she did not even notice him kneel.

"My lady. I have returned from battle. While I was unable to avenge your father, I did all that was in my power to fight back the invaders that murdered our people." He did not raise his head, nor did he move his body. "I humble myself before you for my failure, and offer my sincerest condolences. My heart, as well as every heart in Hyrule beats with sorrow for the loss of our great king, your father." He awaited to hear her response, ready to only rise at her bidding. Not a word fell from her lips, and he feared that he had already upset her. He closed his eyes and ground his teeth, but still he did not raise his head, and his heart trembled with apprehension.

Suddenly he felt the weight of a delicate hand on his helmet, which eventually found its way to the cheekbone of the visor. She lifted his head up, and his heart broke when he looked into her tear ravaged eyes; beautiful and emerald green as ever, but dread-filled and solemn. He stared into her eyes, unable to remove his gaze, completely captivated. She did not remove her hand from his helmet, but she did look up to the medical officer in the other room.

"Lieutenant, would mind giving me a moment alone?" Her voice was soft and sweet, but had lost all past inclinations towards cheeriness.

"Of course, my lady." The Lieutenant bowed deeply before disappearing from the office. Her other hand came to grasp the other side of Link's helmet and she straightened his head to peer into his visor. His heart beat quicker, growing more terrified and gloomy by the second.

"Why do you cover your face?" she asked in almost a whisper, blinking away watery eyes.

No amount of preparation could have readied him for the way her simple, yet hefty question would ravage his mind. _How could I have not thought to come up with a reasonable answer beforehand!?_ He cursed his stupidity, rushing to find an answer. Should he tell her the truth? Explain his shame? _No,_ he decided.

"Do you wish for me to remove it, my lady?" She paused momentarily, then nodded. He felt like he had just dodged an arrow by answering her question with another question, but he did not take comfort in it for long as he feared she would surely question his brow. He began to move his hands to remove his helmet, but she started to pull it from his head caringly slow. He wanted to stop her, as it was below her status to do such a thing, but his helmet was removed before he could even protest. He turned his gaze down, still too ashamed to look into her eyes with his face uncovered. She set his helmet on the ground next to him before returning to him.

"Why do you hide your eyes now?" The question sent a wave of doubt and fear through his body. He was terrified to answer.

"Because I am fearful, my lady." It was like poison on his tongue, admitting his emotion. A loyal servant was not supposed to display fear, anger, love, and hatred. A servant was to remain loyal and true.

"Fearful of what?"

"My own weakness…" He clenched his eyes shut, griping any and all senses of 'wrong' emotion by the neck and tried to snuff it out. Her soft hand brushed against his jaw, and she gently lifted his head. He felt so exposed without his helmet. He felt as if she could gaze into the deepest corners of his heart and disarm him with one wave of the hand, or deconstruct him with one word from her tongue. Under her eyes he feared that no amount of denial could hide his mind from her.

"Please. Stand." It was not a command from a Princess. It was an honest, teary-eyed plea from a young woman who desperately needed someone. Reluctantly he stood, still bowing his head. She stood up from her chair, never breaking her eye contact. Then, without warning, she surged forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, and buried her face into his chest. His will was being severed with every passing moment, but he did not dare pull away from her desperate embrace. Earlier that day it was he who initiated such an embrace, but it was because he felt that it was necessary; or at least that's what he wanted to convince himself of. However, now it felt horribly improper of him to accept it, and yet it felt even worse to reject it. The Master Sword was still in his left hand, and so he merely reached his right arm around and secured her.

"Were taking you back home as soon as the convoy is ready, my lady." She did not respond, but he could feel her head turn slightly as she rested her cheek against his chest, sniffling and sobbing silently.

"Link."

"Yes, my lady?"

"Are you okay?"

He bit his tongue and guarded his words. _Even in a time like this she wants to know how I am? What have I done to deserve her care?_ "Don't worry about _me,_ my lady. Such is not your responsibility."

"But I do. All the time." She pulled her head back, and looked up to his bloody brow. "How did you get that if you were wearing your helmet the whole time?"

He sighed with relief that she posed her question in a way that he could still answer truthfully, without having to explain exactly how he received the gash. "I wasn't always wearing it when it happened, my lady."

"How did it happen?"

 _Shit._ He previous relief was now dashed. "It's not important, my lady." He let go of her, and removed himself from her arms in the politest way he could. "We need to get you ready to go. Commander Nell will send word very soon. Allow me to escort you to your room, so that you may gather your things." She seemed upset by his separation, but she did not fight against it, which he was immensely grateful for. She sighed despondently before continuing.

"Okay. Thank you, Link."

"Of course, my lady." He bowed, glad for her cooperation. With his right hand, he gestured to the door, ready to follow her. However, she did not walk forward, she instead stood by his side and held out her hand to his arm.

"Please. I'm afraid I'll stumble. I feel weak." Her plea was not solely stemmed from a desire to be close to him, it was an honest request for help, and Link could see its truth with her eyes. Had the situation been different he would have tried to argue that it was not proper protocol for him to escort her in this way, but seeing her trembling, he readily and willing extended his arm to her. It was the least he could do.

"Of course, my lady." Judging by the amount she leaned on his support, it was clear that using her powers was a physical and emotional drain for her. He led her to the door after he picked up his helmet, but she motioned to the table that supported her father first. Her hand shook as she stretched it out to feel his arm beneath the white linen. She began to sniffle again, holding back her tears.

"We're taking you home father. You'll be at peace there." She held her breath for a moment, before whispering: "I love you, father." Link's lip began to quiver, and his eyes grew wet, but he bit down and willed his tears away. _No. Not in front of her._

 _Goddess, what will I say about The Sword?_

* * *

Zelda found that holding on to him with one arm was not enough to stop her from nearly tripping. With her other hand, she grasped onto his forearm, and brought herself closer so that she could lean against him. Her mother had always warned her about over exerting her powers, saying that once she passed her threshold, her physical strength would deteriorate for a while, and it would take time to return. She had felt mild tiredness before, but nothing compared to the exhaustion that seemed to seep into her very bones. Her knees began to shake and she could feel herself beginning to collapse under her own weight. She would have hit the ground had Link not caught her, and safely lowered her down, supporting her back and head with his arms. It was the first time she noticed that the Master Sword was not on his back, as he had set it down on the floor beside him.

"My lady, are you all right?" His eyes were so full of worry, and his eyebrows peaked up to the center of his forehead.

"I'm sorry. My powers drained me a little more than I thought they would. I've never experienced it to this degree." Lieutenant Emanuel stepped out from his office in a hurry, hearing Link's distressed voice.

"Princess, are you ill?" the medical officer knelt beside her, and began to examine her.

"No. I'm not ill. By body is just exhausted." When the Lieutenant had confirmed her statement, he jogged back to his office, and reemerged with a small vial of green liquid.

"Drink this. It should help your stamina return, but it will take time."

"Are you strong enough to stand?" Link asked. Just by testing if she could prop herself up with her own hands, she knew that it was futile.

"No. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, my lady. I made you stand to soon, I should be the one apologizing." Judging by his expression he believed that it was his fault.

"You couldn't have known. I barely knew it myself."

"You need to lie down. I can carry you to your room, my lady."

"Thank you, Link." She smiled politely, although she admittedly felt a little embraced by having to be carried to her room. _A smile,_ she remarked. It felt strange on her mouth now, she felt as if it was the first time she smiled in decades. It was a welcome change to the nearly incapacitating tears she wept, seemingly with no end. Link asked for the medical officer to hold her up for a moment as he donned his helmet and strapped the Master Sword on his back so that his arms were free to carry her. _Why did he take off The Sword in the first place?_ She thought that perhaps he did so to change, as he was now wearing a black tunic, instead of the leather one he wore earlier that morning, but that wouldn't explain why it took him this long to reattach it, and on top of that, he had a long sword already on his hip. As he tightened the buckle she noticed how discomforted he looked, and wondered what troubled him. _I'll ask him later. When the Lieutenant isn't around._

Without a hint of effort, Link ran one arm under her legs at the knee, and cradled her back and shoulders in the other, standing in one fluid motion. It was like she was weightless in his arms, which she was grateful for, as she hated the idea of being a burden for him. She nestled her tired head against his shoulder, and reveled in its warmth. Looking up at his head, she was a little disheartened to see that dreadful helmet on his head again, and wished he would just throw it away. However, like a sword, a helmet was a tool necessary for protection, and so she tried to change her attitude to positive feelings, just glad to see him actually taking steps to ensure his own safety.

"Do you ever grow tired of wearing helmets?" she asked quietly as he carried her through the desolate halls.

"No, my lady. I find them to be quite useful for many things."

"Many things?" she asked, intrigued by his odd specification of 'many.' Link paused for a moment before answering the simple question.

"Yes. Arrows, swords, axes. A trusty helmet can mean the difference between life an―" He cut himself short, although she already understood what he was going to say due to the commonality of the phrase. She knew why he cut himself off. He was worried that the mention of death would remind her of her father; which it did, but she was determined to not show it. For his sake. She held her breath for a moment, ceasing the advance of tears, and eventually they passed. How odd she thought it was, that in the wake of all the horrible things that had come, and the disastrous things that would soon follow, that she would find comfort in their menial conversation. She had wept so much that it made her eyes hurt and ached in that dreadful office, but being carried in his tender arms was like a blanket of security and comfort. In that moment she never wanted to leave his embrace, regardless of the strain between them. It was more than that now. She did not want to be in his arms because she loved him, she wanted to be in his arms because she was frightened beyond belief, and he was the only soul in the Citadel that personally understood her toil, and could put her restless heart at ease. _How was he so strong when his father passed? I never saw him shed a single tear. Even when he nearly collapsed in my arms as he was haunted by the images of the Gerudo child, he pulled himself from the brink of despair and fought on._ She leaned her head against his chest again, and listened to his surprisingly steady heartbeat.

"I suppose you're right," she finally responded after the long pause of her numbing thoughts. Her ear brushed against the cold buckle of the belt that held the Master Sword on his back, which rekindled her curiosity as to why he had removed it. "Link."

"Yes, my lady." His tone was gentle, but solemn.

"What happened after you left?" There was a long pause, long enough to make her fear that she upset him. Luckily, he finally responded, and while it was even quieter than before, there was a nurturing air to it.

"Many things, my lady. But, if I could have your permission, I would wish to not speak of it now. You are weak, and need rest." No doubt he wanted to spare her the details, which she surprisingly found herself grateful for, terrified that she would not have the mental capacity to handle such a thing, but she intended to lead her questions to a more specific goal.

"Of course. At a better time perhaps… What about the Master Sword?"

"What of the Master Sword, my lady?" Despite his attempts to hide it, she sensed the slightest tremor of worry in his voice, which was not a good sign.

"Did you feel anything?"

He pondered her question meaningfully. "I felt a great number of things." It was not the answer she hoped for, but judging by the discomfort he hid, it was clear it was another topic he wished to avoid.

"Any particular reason you've only just now slung it to your back, in addition to the sword on your hip?" Beforehand his pace never changed, but at this question she noticed a considerable decrease in his speed, and she instantly knew it was not pleasant.

"My lady, don't worry yourself with these things. Please, allow yourself some rest. I will watch over you, and keep you safe."

 _That's not a good sign. Did something go horribly wrong?_ She opened her mouth to press in, but his voice interrupted.

"Ma'am."

"Oh my! Is she all right!?" Her handmaid was walking down the hallway, and began to rush over to her side, placing caring hands on her arm. Zelda nodded, growing increasingly tired.

"Yes, she's okay. Her body is just exhausted from her powers. She needs rest. Can you open the door to her room?"

"Of course, Master Link! Right this way, dear."

 _Master Link,_ she remarked. For years her family speculated that he would be chosen by the sword, and for a short while they were absolutely certain of it, but hearing him being referred to as 'Master Link' brought a surreal sense to her. At the fall of the old, a new Chosen Hero arose, and yet he still carried himself as if he wanted nothing more than to be a faceless shadow. _Perhaps that is the source of his conflict. Is that why he seems to bear the sword with apprehension?_

Link was right however. Now was not the time to discuss such terribly ominous subjects; she could not stand on her own as it was, and her mind was like thin thread holding up a led weight, threatening to snap at any moment. Her handmaid led them into her room, and Link lowered her gently onto her bed. Her maid set about removing her boots and then pulled the heavy covers over her.

"Ma'am, if you would begin gathering and packing her things. We're leaving today while we have to chance."

"Of course, Master Link." Their voices grew to whispers, and Zelda struggled to hear them as she felt herself already slipping into sleep. "Are you sure she is well enough for travel?"

Link sighed quietly. "She won't be able to ride on horseback. I'll ensure she has a place to comfortably sit on the wagon. It's either that, or I will have to carry her all the way back to Hyrule Castle." The maid nodded solemnly before leaving the room to begin gather the Princesses things. Zelda could barely keep her eyes open as she watched Link return to her side.

He knelt on one knee so that his head was level with hers. "My lady, I will be right outside. If you need me, just call. I will keep an open ear." He stood to leave but she instinctively grabbed onto his hand.

"Please. Don't leave me in here alone…" She couldn't fight her tears back any longer, and she began to sob lightly. "Please. I just need someone by me. In case anything happens…"

He paused thoughtfully, and for a moment she could see the faint glimmer of his blue eyes in the openings of his visor. "Of course, my lady." His response was one of the rare cases that she could hear the honesty in his voice. It wasn't the calculated and calm cadence of a servant. It was the soft gentle voice of a dear and caring friend, the friend that she lost to a stranger. She looked expectantly at his helmet, and dipped her chin in the slightest of gestures. He seemed reluctant to comply, but he eventually removed his metal mask and set it down on the side table. She motioned for him to pull up a chair and sit, which she was surprised to find that he did not protest. After removing the Master Sword from his back, and leaning it against the wall, he carefully sat down, practically falling to his seat. He did not wince or grunt, but she could see that either his head or back must have hurt because as he stiffly sat, his teeth bore down, and his upper lip curled.

"Is there anything I can do for you, my lady?" Zelda wiped away the warm tears from her cheek with the back of her hand, and then pulled the covers over her shoulders as she leaned on one side so that she could look at Link.

"Link."

"Yes, my lady?"

"Are you scared?"

He tilted his head as if he was confused. "Of?"

"His return?" Just uttering the words sent a shiver down her spine and made her cringe with fear. She closed her eyes and tried to forget the terrifying figures that murdered her father, but she was failing to do so until Link's calm voice stirred her.

"I honestly haven't put much thought into it, my lady. I don't think my mind has caught up to that point yet." He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees, and continued. "But seeing that you single handedly saved my life, I'd say we're in good hands. You will rise to the occasion, and triumph." A kind, boyish smile stretched across his lips, and for a moment she was comforted.

"Do you really believe that?"

His intense eyes locked with hers in a way he had not done in years. "Through and through, my lady." He leaned back into his chair and adjusted his body so that he was a little more comfortable. "Now. Try and get some rest, my lady. I will wake you when its time."

Too tired to disagree, she closed her eyes, remarking that she still had not gotten an answer from him as to why he held the Master Sword with such apprehension. Sleep took her before could think on the matter any further.


	22. The Return to Hyrule Castle

_Chapter twenty-two, The Return to Hyrule Castle_

It was nasty work moving the dead, and it took up the remainder of the morning after the battle. The surviving brethren wept for their lost kin, and cursed the bodies of their enemy. The fallen knights of Hyrule would slowly be carted up and counted, then many would be sent home to their families in Castle Town and surrounding settlements. Their numbers reached one-hundred men, which considering their odds, was a tremendous achievement, but no man cheered. The Zora detachment that had been sent to assist their allies also suffered few loses, but due to their proportionally smaller company, their life to death ratio was much worse. As for the invaders, their bodies were to be sent far away to be burned, purging the world of their matter, reaching numbers into the thousands. The majority of them had been killed by the Hylian army, however countless more had been slain by their own brothers, as punishment for their cowardice, although there were reports of some deserters being dragged off in their wailing fits.

When the barrier of fire had died off, the Hyrulean knights found that their enemies had been long gone and retreated on their ships, disappearing on the ocean breeze. However, every man knew deep down that someday they would return, and they would be forced to face dire odds once again to maintain their foothold in the Akkala region. It was just all a question of when. It would not be long until every major settlement, town, city, and kingdom would know the horrible truth of the invasion, and the pertaining return of Ganon. What the three deathly specters were, no man could say, but the mention of them brought shivers to their hearts, and troubled their minds. Such was the state of the people of Hyrule, who now seemed plunged back into chaos after so many years of peace, a chaos with no answers, only more questions.

However, there was work to do, and so the men of the Citadel continued to fortify themselves and their fortress, making due with what they could. They had been ordered to clear the southern gateway so that a funeral wagon could pass through, however they were pressed for time, and so they made due by building a makeshift ramp from timber, and cleared the bridge of bodies and debris. At the order of their commander, they lined the bridge with men to keep a lookout for any return from their invaders, ready to cut them off at any moment. Fortunately, in their vigilance, nothing stirred or disturbed them, there was only peaceful wind and the overcast sun, but it was a sense of security that every man denied, especially after the horrors they had seen.

"Princess… My Lady... Wake up…"

 _Five more minutes,_ she wanted to say. A warm hand was on her shoulder, gently shaking it to stir her from sleep. She opened one eye, and blinked listlessly to remove the haze in her vision. She used the back of her hand to wipe her eyes, feeling dried tears on her cheeks; she must have been crying in her sleep. Handsome blue eyes were looking right at her. They were sad eyes, eyes that had been forced to see and endure such horrid things, and yet they were strong and kind. The cut above his brow was cleaner than she had last saw it, but a dark scab already had formed. No doubt it would be another scar on his pretty face.

"My lady. I'm sorry, but it's time to go. I wanted to let you sleep for as long as possible, but the preparations are complete. The sooner we leave, the more light we will have."

"Okay," she sighed, already feeling the pain and sadness seeping back into her heart. "How long was I out?"

"Only an hour, my lady. It's the afternoon. Are you hungry?"

"Famished." Her stomach growled in agreeance.

"I thought as much. I had your maid prepare a small meal for you. Do you feel strong enough to walk?"

Zelda leaned up onto her arms, and kicked her legs over to the floor, testing her weight. "I think so. I might still need something to stabilize on." Link held out his hand, and helped her stand, leading her to the small round table by the dying fireplace. She shivered slightly, as her room was considerably colder than her warm blankets. He helped her sit, pushing her chair in, and then pulled the lid off her plater. It was just a simple bowl of vegetable soup, but it smelled wonderful. "Have you eaten yet?" she asked as he kneeled next to the fireplace.

"Yes, my lady." He tapped his stomach lightly, gesturing that he was satisfied with his meal. He turned his attention to the fire, and began to prod and poke it with an iron rod, coercing it back into a warm flame. "It's gotten terribly cold out. I've ensured that you will have an extra warm cloak, and some blankets for our trip. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Link. You're very considerate and thoughtful."

A gentle smile touched his lips, and he bowed his head. "Of course, my lady. It is my duty."

Zelda studied him as she ate, except when whenever he would glance over to her, which was not often. He seemed captivated by the flames, although it did not appear to be an overly pleasant captivity. His eyebrows would occasionally contort or twitch, and then he would rub his chin, covering his mouth. The Master Sword was not on his back, and so she peered back to where he leaned it against the wall before she fell asleep. It was right where he left it, although the whole length of it was wrapped in a light leather, being held together by neatly tied cords. The only way she knew it was the Master Sword was because of the very distinct curves of the hilt which stretched the leather cover over its form. Draped over the chair next to her desk was heavy wool and fur cloak, which she assumed was the one he spoke of, and on top of that laid her riding gloves. Aside from that, all of her belongings had been packed up and sent off, and the room was tidied up.

"You've been busy in just one hour."

He did not answer for a moment, obviously still engrossed by the fire. As if his brain finally realized that she spoke to his he turned his head and looked at her. "I apologize, my lady. Did you ask something?"

"No. I was just merely stating that it appears you have been busy in just one hour."

He adjusted the cloak that hung around his neck, then he responded. "Ah. Forgive me. I find it helps to keep my mind occupied if I keep myself busy, my lady." Zelda did not need to ask what he was busying his mind from. She knew all too well what was going through his head, as she had now experienced firsthand the painful death of a loved one. She felt as if she understood him a little better than she did before. She could tell just by looking at his stern and tempered expressions, the way he carried himself, and the way he spoke, that underneath the calm demeanor and gentle service he displayed there was just a young boy clutching for his own humanity as he drove himself further into the pit of unfeeling. She now understood how much it hurt; the crying, the helplessness, the unsurmountable feeling of complete agony, and yet she still wondered if he did not hurt even more than she did. He seemed to have recovered from his emotional break down the day before, and while he mostly returned to his silent and guarded demeanor, there was the slightest glimmer of personable behavior. It came out in the smallest of ways―a smile, a warm and genuine voice―but it was always preceded, and ended by what he considered to be 'proper behavior.' He even seemed to not shy away as much from her touch, although he obviously still had immense reservations. Her attention soon returned to the Master Sword, as its peculiar covering peaked her interest again.

"Link," she said quietly, as if it was almost a whisper.

"Yes, my lady?"

She hesitated for a moment, almost scared to ask. "Why did you cover up the Master Sword?" Link turned back to the fire, and poked it a little further before he was satisfied and stood, and faced her.

"I thought that it would probably be for the best," he said bluntly.

"I don't understand." She titled her head a little, expressing her confusion.

Link fidgeted slightly before he finally answered. "I thought that it might not look very good, wearing it as I―escorted―its former master." It was clear as day that he was tip-toeing around the answer, although she did not know if he did so because of some internal fear, or if he wished to spare her from potentially disruptive thoughts. Either way, she felt that she was finally emotionally stable enough to approach the topic further.

"Don't you think it would bolster the men's spirits to see that a new hero has already been chosen?"

Again, he paused as if he was calculating his next response. "They all loved the King very much, my lady. I don't think that it would bolster their spirits all that much, if at all. I'm covering it just a precaution, so that it might not upset them further. Besides, were not out of the thick of the woods yet. I'd rather it been hidden away for the time being, in case anything happens."

"Won't you need it if anything _does_ happen?" she retorted, a little louder than her whispers of earlier.

"I will have it right next to me, on my saddle. I'll keep it safe. Don't you worry my lady." Zelda furrowed her eyebrows, still sensing that there was more behind his words.

"I still don't understand." A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, and soon her maid entered the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt my lady, but its time. Lord Aron is waiting outside."

"It's okay. Thank you," Zelda sighed, mildly upset that Link had weaseled his way out of her investigation yet again, but she was glad that it was at least a distraction from her sore heart. Zelda took the last bite of her soup before she tried to stand. She had to lean on the arms of her chair to do so, and so Link rushed over and offered out a helping hand.

"I have your coat, my lady," the maid began. "Let me help you get it on, and then we'll get you bound up nicely in your cloak and gloves." Her maid rushed over and set about her task all while Link kept her stable. She started by helping her with her boots, then her coat and gloves, and then finally her cloak. Before they left, Link quickly threw on his helmet and grabbed the Master Sword, and held it in his right hand. He extended his free arm to her, which she gladly took. They walked as fast as her wobbly legs would allow, which was not very fast, and exited the manor. As her maid had promised, Lord Aron was waiting outside, who also seemed worse for wear as he was supporting himself on a slender cane. Alongside him was General Dunma and Commander Nell, who both bore solemn, but gentle eyes. They all bowed lightly as she stepped out. Zelda instantly noticed how horribly cold it was, so she shimmied in closer to Link's warm body.

"My lady, I wish to take this brief moment to offer my condolences. The knights of the Citadel share in your mourning with sad but determined hearts. We will see justice done in his name." Lord Aron's voice was gentle and sincere. It actually surprised Zelda as she had never heard him speak this way. She thought that it was a much nicer voice to hear, since it was not riddled with arrogance and false flattery. If he would speak like that all the time, she thought that she might come to enjoy his presence.

"Thank you, Lord Aron," she responded quietly. "I wish you and your men all the good fortune in the world."

"Thank you, my lady." He stepped forward to center himself before her. "I have already sent word to the castle. I employed the fastest Rito courier I could find. You should receive a wide welcome when you return. Link has also ensured that you will have a comfortable seat on the wagon, as he expressed his concern for your physical strength at the moment, fearing you might not be able to ride."

"I cannot thank you enough, gentlemen. I pray that someday I can repay you both, and every person that so bravely guarded this fortress." Lord Aron bowed before shuffling back. General Dunma then presented herself, and bowed elegantly.

"Princess Zelda, I am glad that our people could fight side by side in your time of aid. Be at peace and know that every Zora in every stretch of the corner bows their fins in honor of your father. May he rest in peace. I have sent word to my King, to alert him of this tragedy, I should expect you will see his presence at the castle very soon."

"Thank you General Dunma. I pray for good fortune for you and your people." Zelda tried her best to summon up courage and quell her emotions, but she only managed to keep herself from crying. Her eyes were red and watering, and she sniffled incessantly, but not a single tear fell. She was glad to have Link by her side, as he stood as a silent pillar of strength for her, keeping her balanced and safe, _and warm_. During the whole exchange of condolences Link never said a word. His face hidden inside his helmet, which made it impossible to gauge what he was feeling. Regardless, her grip on his arm tightened, and they descended the short stair case, and walked to the elevator.

Unlike before, the Keep was silent as the grave, and the knights they passed all stopped their work and bowed as the Princess was escorted to the convoy. The only change she noticed in Link's demeanor was that he stiffer, and did not shift his gaze, but he remained tethered by her side, supporting her as she hobbled forward. They came to the threshold of the portcullis of the Keep and already the was a small detachment of Cavalrymen mounted and ready to escort the wagon. Zelda's heartbeat skipped when she saw the covered makeshift casket in the back, and she nearly fell. However, Link immediately caught her, and kept her standing. She could see her breath warm in the plummeting temperature, which was not impossible given the time of year, but it was certainly unusual. Even from the time it took to travel from the peak to the Keep, the temperature continued to drop and an implausible rate.

"It's okay, my lady. I'm right here. Take your time." His soft voice was muffled by his visor, and a mist poured out from his mouth and out through the visor, but it was still calm and supporting. She nodded and thanked him before continuing again. The mounted horsemen beside her all bowed their heads, many whispering 'my lady,' or placed a clasped fist on their chest as a salute to show their respect. She then began to notice something odd. As they passed, the Cavalrymen, after saluting, would turn their gaze to Link. As all of them wore their helmets, she could not see their expressions, but she could not shake the sense that they were not pleasant expressions. When they looked at her, their shoulders were loose, and relaxed, but the moment they turned to Link they grew rigid.

 _Perhaps it's my imagination._ Link led her to the front of the wagon. The front seat, which was nothing more than a wooden bench essential, had a multitude of blankets neatly folded and draped in such a way that they would serve as soft cushions for her to sit and lean on. Beside that was the driver, who seemed like a cheery individual, however, given the circumstances he was somber and gloomy. Link lifted her up to the high seat, and then the driver helped her the rest of the way up, offering another blanket so that she could wrap it around her in addition to her cloak. Despondently, she peered back into the wagon, seeing the draped canvas over her father's casket, but she quickly turned away, wiping away a lone tear that rolled down her cheek without warning. Link mounted a horse easily enough with one hand and brought himself on the same side of the wagon as the Princess was. He tucked the Master Sword away in the belts of his saddle bag and secured it tightly, rechecking multiple times to ensure it was hidden safely. Lord Aron, General Dunma, and Commander Nell said their last goodbyes before bowing and wishing them good fortune. Seeing that they were both ready, the convoy set forth, slowly making their way across the Akkala bridge, and eventually to the southern gate which now sported a wooden ramp to pass over the debris. Zelda watched with a careful eye as every knight in view offered their silent salute to their long-lost King, their expressions burdened with hopeless grief. She paid close attention the knights that were not wearing helmets or visors, as she watched them pull their saddened eyes from the wagon, and darted stern scowls towards Link. Some merely stared, others actively glared at him, and soon the full picture was becoming clear.

This was why Link wanted to hide the Master Sword away. Just by seeing the way his comrades glower and squint their eyes at him, she knew that they were horribly angry with him. _But why? What did he do?_ Her heart trembled as she watched Link's broad shoulders sink lower and lower. His head dipped down, visibly wrought with shame despite how much he was trying to hide it, and Zelda wanted to stop everything in that moment and order them to explain what he had done. Sadly however, she knew that they had to keep going. She bit her lip and pulled her hood over her head, scared that she would burst into tears. Everything was just too much. Her father was gone and being carried in the same wagon she rode on, the ever-impending threat of Ganon's return doomed her heart, and now her only true friend was being silently scorned by the entire Citadel for something that he apparently did, but she did not know what. She began to sob quietly, tucking herself in her cloak, and watched in captive horror as her only source of comfort was brought to shame by the mere passing of eyes. From her vantage point she could see the exposed skin of Link's jaw and chin under his helmet, as the rim sat just barely his jaw line. Normally such a sight would have been meaningless, but just as she was about to look away she caught the slightest glimpse of something rolling down his jaw and down his neck. The back of his hand quickly wiped it away whatever it was and then he stirred himself in his saddle, forcing his shoulders back and head up. It took Zelda a moment to realize what it was as it was so quick and far off, but it finally occurred to her it was a single tear, and It only made her silent sobbing worse. She was overcome with pity for her knight. He was no stranger to loss and pain, suffering through grief in his self-inflicted isolation, but now even as he stoically mourned for his King, his own shield-brothers showed him nothing but contempt.

In their eyes they beheld an orphan boy, not even eighteen, who was supposedly risen above his status as a mere knight to become some 'hero.' They had no desire to understand his perspective nor did they wish to acknowledge his legitimacy, for in their eyes he was worse than a common criminal, guilty of impersonating their King, and usurping his sword―but these were all things that the Princess was not made aware of―for neither did her knight complain or cry out 'injustice,' nor did any other soul dare to breach the subject with her while she was in mourning. She sat on that wagon, knowing something was wrong, but she did not comprehend the depth and severity of the battle that raged on in the minds of the Citadel knights; all of it sharply pointed at one boy.

They offered no kind gestures or encouragement as they did for her and one another, only scornful glances and cold shoulders. Was this his payment for saving her life? For courageously putting himself in danger to fight off the monsters that murdered her father? How could they dare to show such malcontent towards their new Chosen Hero? She swore that when everything was done, and her father laid to rest, she would learn what had happened.

In a brief glance Link realized that she was watching him, and so he slowed his pace, allowing the wagon to precede him. They soon drove over the wooden ramp at the gateway, and carefully made their way across the Akkala Span as every knight saluted, then gazed either at the wagon, the Princess, or the scorned knight. One face stood out among the crowd. It was a kind face, with long brown hair and a strong chin. His eyes never looked to the convoy, but instead only to Link. A somber but sympathetic smile stretched across his lips, and he held up his fist to his chest in a salute of solidarity to his comrade. She realized that the gentle stranger was none other than Link's childhood friend: Jonathan. She looked back at Link, who stood a little straighter in his saddle than before, and then softly retuned the salute, dipping his head slightly, as if their simple gestures conveyed more meaning than any words they could have spoken.

 _At least he has one comrade that has not abandoned him,_ she remarked, wiping away her warm tears. They followed the southern trail without incident, however it was a cold and miserable trip. The wind began to pick up, forcing Zelda to grip to her cloak and blanket with tight fingers, which started to exhaust them considering her current strength. While her co-rider and driver of the wagon seemed like a kind-hearted individual, he was certainly no close friend, and so she was not comfortable leaning in to warm herself against him.

It only grew worse as the sun began to set, submerging the world into a dark blue light. Zelda began to shiver uncontrollably, helplessly incapable of warming herself. A light hand tapped her right shoulder and she turned, surprised to find that Link was riding next to her.

"My lady. I have and extra blanket. Take it." From his saddle bag he produced a thick wool blanket, which she took with haste, and covered herself in it.

"How are you not freezing? I can barely feel my toes." After asking her question she buried her nose underneath the blanket, gently rubbing it to help it warm up.

"I think your exhaustion has effected your ability to stay warm. It's certainly cold, but not freezing, my lady." With his last words spoken he bowed his head and slowed his horse until he was even with the back of the wagon. Zelda wished that he would stay by her side, or even better, climb up into the wagon with her and hold her so that she might warm up. However, she knew that no amount of persuading would convince him to partake in such an intimate display, especially with how much he was distressed by his shield-brothers. Zelda would occasionally glance back at him, finding that he nearly spent the whole trip searching the skies. After this ritual continued for nearly two hours she finally called out to him, and he quickly brought himself to her side.

"Yes, my lady?"

"What are you looking for?" she whispered.

"The black cloud," he replied plainly after a brief pause. It was an ominous response, and it sent another shiver down her spine.

"Are you still cold, my lady?" he asked when he noticed her shake.

"No. Not as much as before, thanks to your blanket."

Link nodded slightly and adjusted himself in his saddle. "Certainly, my lady. We're making good time, we will be home by the early morning long before it turns light again. Try to rest if you can. I'll be right here."

"Thank you," she finally whispered, realizing how tired she was. She was doubtful she would be able to fall asleep in such a bouncy wagon, but to her surprise when she adjusted herself so that she could rest her head against the back of the chair, she fell asleep on multiple occasions. A particularly rough bump in the road, or a strong gust of wind would stir her from the thin line between sleep and consciousness, but she could still rest her eyes and body easily enough. In the back of her mind there was always the slightest tinge of fear, and it kept gnawing away at her conscious. What would they do now? Once her father was laid to rest, where would they even begin? Link was already chosen by The Sword, so she had that one thing for comfort, but the enemy they faced seemed to be toying with them. Looking down from the battlements during the siege, all she could see was a sea of thousands upon thousands of men funneling in, but they left in a hasty retreat. If those specters wanted to truly conquer the Citadel, they could have done so just by merely avoiding Link and herself and focus on killing the soldiers, but they did not. They instead went there for one reason, and one reason only; to murder her father. What was the game they were playing at? Surely Ganon was pulling the strings, and the specters were his puppets, but why did he not show himself? What was he planning?

Her heart beat faster just thinking about it, and she soon began to question her own abilities. Praying at the three goddess springs brought no new strength or power, her training had been at a standstill for weeks, unable to make any new progress, and now she was completely drained of all energy. Out of curiosity, she began to try to call forth the power within her to see how it would make her feel, but as soon as she felt the warmth in her core she nearly passed out. Link seemed to notice her body go limp ever so slightly, as he immediately voiced his concern, riding close enough to touch her.

"Are you okay, my lady?"

She felt more drained than before, barely strong enough to hold herself up in her seat. She cursed her stupidity for trying to call forth the power before she had recovered. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry I just wanted to try testing my powers to see how it made me feel." Her right arm began to tremble and her abdomen lost all strength and so she collapsed under her own weight, slouching over her armrest. Link's firm hand caught her, and he ordered the driver to stop immediately. Down the line several voices shouted out, calling for the halt of the convoy. Link pulled his left foot from its stirrup, and he stepped up onto the wagon using the built-in step. He helped Zelda straighten herself in her chair.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have tried. Please, I don't want to be a burden." She was utterly embarrassed by her foolish mistake. The Cavalrymen ahead of them all stared back at her, showing concern, but she just thought that they were judging her.

"There's nothing to forgive, my lady, you couldn't have known… Do you think you can sit up on your own?" She shook her head.

"I would offer for her to lean against me," the driver began. "But I would be rather fidgety, since I have to move my arms constantly to steer. I doubt you would be able to sleep."

"No, I'm sorry, I'll make due. We need to keep going." She tried her hardest to keep herself upright, but her muscles began to tremble again as soon as Link stopped supporting her, and she knew she could not make good on her promise. Without a word, Link motioned for the driver to prop her up for a moment, then he hopped down to his horse, and pulled the Master Sword from his saddle; it was still in the leather covering. He laid it on the floor of the wagon beneath their feet, then he tied the reins of his horse to the armrest of the bench. Once his horse was secure he jumped up back onto the wagon, and situated himself so that Zelda was between him and the driver. He balanced the Master Sword between his knees, then wrapped and arm around Zelda so that he could keep her sitting upright. Again, without saying a word, he motioned that they were ready, and the convoy set back into their slow pace, towing Link's horse alongside the wagon. Many of the knights glanced back with judgmental visor-covered eyes, however this time, Link did not seem fazed by their scowls.

"Are you sure?" she asked, trying to be considerate of the compromise he was making.

"Yes, my lady." Link did not sound very convinced himself, but he did not explain further.

 _Hylia alive, how does he stay so warm?_ She felt as if she were inside an oven tucked under his arm. With what strength she had left, she inched closer to him, cradling herself in the crook of his side. He shied away for a moment, pausing as if he were pondering some deep thought, then reluctantly allowed her to get _that_ close.

"Thank you," she whispered, covering her face up to her eyes in her blanket.

"It's my duty, my lady. There is no need for thanks. I imagine I would be flogged if you came back with half frozen, and unable to stand." His voice was calm, but admittedly unfeeling. From that point forward, he did not say another word, nor did he rest his head. He only endlessly scanned the sky for threats while absentmindedly stroking the handle of the Master Sword with his thumb.

As her eyes closed and she rested against him she thought that maybe now because he was more than a knight, he would soften up, and open up to her again, even if it was just in private. He was the Chosen Hero, and she was the Descendant; their destinies were now bound together―only death would pry them apart now. However, she could not deny that she feared for her knight, seeing that he bore such apprehensions with carrying The Sword, but it was a fear she hoped either her mother or herself could alleviate. Zelda fell asleep almost instantly under his wing, feeling safer in his arms then she felt in her room at the Citadel.

It felt as if only an instant passed when she cracked one eye open and realized she was being carried down from the wagon and into a warm hallway. Her body still felt horribly drained, and she struggled to even speak words, and so she settled on remaining quiet in Link's tender arms, barely awake enough to open her eyes.

"She over exerted her powers, your grace. She could not even hold herself up." She felt herself stoop lower to the ground, realizing that even though Link was carrying her, he still dutifully bowed to her mother.

 _Mother!_ She shouted internally, finally recognizing where she was. However, despite her best efforts to turn and look, she could not find the strength to do so.

"She will be fine. She just needs rest. Please, follow me." Her mother's voice was soft and nurturing, but she could tell by the quality of it, that she had been crying.

Next thing she knew, she felt her back rest against a soft mattress, and warm covers were pulled over her.

"Mother?" she finally croaked.

"Shh my darling. You're safe in your room. Rest easy my flower." Warm, loving lips pressed against her forehead.

"Come, Master Link," her mother whispered. "We will speak on what has passed in another room."

 _Sleep. In a real bed―_ it felt so good, and so she did not fight the urge, and passed into a comatose-like rest.

* * *

Link knelt to both knees, uncovering the Master Sword. His bare forehead brushed the cold marble beneath him as he rose the Master Sword above his head. "My Queen. I humble myself before you after telling you these things, for I am ashamed of my actions. I pray that you will take this weapon from me, or bid me to return it to its resting place so that its true master may find it. I am unworthy. I wielded it unnecessarily, and under false pretenses. I willingly await any punishment you deem fit."

Her voice never skipped a beat, and it remained completely calm, given the severity of emotions at play. She had only learned of her husband's death mere hours before their arrival, and yet despite her swollen red eyes, and irritated nose, she spoke with effortless grace. It was the grace under pressure that Link desired he could achieve. Link had always heard stories of the unbreakable bond of love between the King and Queen, a bond forged through hardship and trial, and yet he bowed before her in awe of the emotional forbearance his Queen possessed. There was no doubt in his mind that before their arrival she must have cried just as hard as her dear daughter―if not harder―but the woman that stood before him carried an otherworldly strength about her. Link supposed that after one-hundred years of being sealed away in a realm outside of the physical world, she had learned some skill to help her control her emotions in times of great need. It was not like she was emotionless like a machine; monotone, withdrawn or shocked, in fact it was quite the opposite. Her voice, while calm, sounded so full of life that Link was dumbfounded by her ability to sound so alive, yet be unapproached by crippling tears.

"You say that in your hand The Sword glowed with a holy light when the specters were present?"

"Yes, my Queen, but only when they were present." His head still rested on the floor.

"Did you feel the weight in your hands?" The strange question left Link perplexed. Before he could even answer she bid him to stand. "Draw The Sword." Link did as she ordered. "Now hold it out so that your arm is parallel with the ground."

Link furrowed his eyebrows, but did not question her odd command, and held his arm outstretched. The Queen did not say another word for nearly three minutes, which felt like an unbearable eternity for Link. Finally, she waved her hand for him to lower it.

"Flynn. Come here please." A young Royal Guard stepped forward, and bowed to his queen.

"Yes, my Queen?"

"Take The Sword from Master Link's hand and hold it as he just did." The Royal Guard's expression immediately turned to fear, and he apprehensively scooted forward. No doubt he had the same anxious feeling Link did, just daring to touch the sacred weapon. Timidly, the Royal Guard took it from his hand, and held it out as Link had done. It was not even five second until his arm dropped from exhaustion.

"Now, Flynn. How did it weigh in your hand?"

"It… It was unbelievably… heavy, your grace," he stuttered. He handed Link the Master Sword with both hands, as if it was as taxing as a boulder. He sighed with relief when he was free from the burden, and then he backed away. A small wiry smile crossed the Queens lips.

"Did the Master Sword feel heavy in your hand, Link?"

"…No… My Queen… It was as light as a feather." Link's chest grew hot as he tried to mentally counter the very strategic point she was trying to make.

"Do you know why the Master Sword glows, Master Link?"

Link swallowed before answering quietly. "No… I only know that it does so in the face of evil, my Queen."

"It glows as a testament to when its true purpose is recognized, and its wielder is deemed worthy. Any man or woman can pick up the Master Sword once drawn from its resting place, but it would be a useless tool for them, for it would be unbearably heavy, and serve no greater function than that of a normal sword. As you stated, it is true that you did not face the trial of pulling it from its pedestal. However, if you were truly not worthy of wielding it, then you would fall prey to its unsurmountable weight, and it would not glow in the presence of evil."

Link stammered to find some logical explanation, but he had none.

"What do you hear?" She continued, ignoring any counter argument he was searching for.

"Right now, your grace?" he asked nervously.

"Yes."

Link closed his eyes, and focused on his hearing. The room was utterly quiet, save the faint familiar ringing. It was so soft, and almost sounded like a long-winded song; beautiful and haunting.

"I hear ringing. Like a song."

"Do you know what that ringing is?"

"…No, your grace…" The Queen stepped closer, and Link could see the same emerald eyes that her daughter bore. Looking at it now, Zelda was the mirror image of her mother, save her nose, which was more like her father's, but she was still equal in beauty and grace. She shared the same name after all; in accordance to ancient tradition. However, because of her advancing age, the Queen's once golden hair was now being over taken with streaks of white and gray, and her face was wrinkled with wisdom.

"That is the voice inside The Sword trying to speak to you. No one else can hear, except you."

"But it doesn't sound like words. Only a soft ringing…"

"That's because you haven't learned to understand it."

Link considered her words as if they were heavy led weights on his chest. After everything that had transpired, all the 'despicable' things he had done, it was beginning to seem like there was no denying the sword in his hand.

"Link," she continued, with a tone that seemed more motherly than queenly. "Do you think it to be mere coincidence that you met the King―the one man who shared your name, as with the names of the ancient heroes―in a moment of courage and self-sacrifice, even though you were just a child? Do you truly believe that your rising to the position of the Princess's Appointed Knight was mere accident? The day that you saved Zelda from that rabid dog in Market Square, the King could see The Spirit within you, and so we took it as a sign, and made sure that you were guided to the path that would bring you and the Princess together. And here you are now, after years of careful grooming. At the fall of your spiritual predecessor, you have taken up the Master Sword, and deemed worthy of it.

"I know it must be difficult for you to accept such a heavy burden, but you were chosen by the goddess and by her sword to rise above the rest as the King once did. What you did in the Citadel was no crime. It was destiny."

"But my Queen," he retorted, daring to oppose her. "Are you not angry with me as the knights of the Citadel are? I impersonated the King, and led in his stead. Am I not a usurper?" He dared to accuse himself of such a weighty crime, truly believing that he was guilty. To his surprise however, the Queen placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and for a moment Link could not breathe under the intensity of her gaze.

"If everything you say is true from your report―which I believe wholeheartedly―then you are guilty of no crime. You did not ask to be thought the King. Were it not for Commander Nell's order, would you have not ripped off your helmet right then and there, and dispelled the illusion of impersonation? Your utter apprehension towards following his order, and your willingness to claim your own guilt proves that you had no ill desire in your heart.

"You performed admirably given your tough situation. Your choice was not an easy one, but I have every faith that you did what you thought was best, while still remaining loyal to your superior's orders. When I gather full written reports from both Commander Nell and Lord Aron, the picture will be complete, but I have already determined that you are innocent of any crime your knight-comrades thrust on you."

His fears melted away at the Queen's dismissal of wrongs done. For a moment he worried that his eyes would start to water, given the relief he felt now that the Queen, the King's dearest beloved, bore no ill-will towards him. True, his brethren would still scorn him for misleading them, but their hatred was self-seeded. The only opinion that mattered was the Queen's, and she did not hate him like the knights. It was not perfect, but it would have to do.

 _I have tough skin. I would rather face every one of my shield-brothers unbridled anger than the anger from my Queen. Her anger is all that would have really mattered at the end of it all, but there is no hatred in her eyes. Only sadness._ Link knelt before her again after sheathing the Master Sword.

"My Queen, words will never express my gratitude for this kind mercy you have shown me."

"There is no need for mercy, when there is no wrongdoing." She gestured for him to rise again. "I urge you to shed aside all fear of using The Sword. Do not allow your comrade's adversity to shy you away from your true calling. Ganon is already upon us, and there is no time for you to deny ownership any longer."

"Yes, my Queen," he finally managed to speak, grudgingly allowing the reality to sink in. Perhaps he could come to forgive himself for impersonating the King, but he still could not shake the nagging feeling that the Master Sword did not truly belong to. He furrowed his eyebrows, and absentmindedly stared down at the sword in his hands.

"Are there any other important details you would like to share?"

"Yes, my Queen." He cleared his throat before looking her in the eyes, steeling himself to regain his composure. "We captured a number of enemy deserters who seemed to cower as if ailed by some great pain in their heads."

"Did you get a chance to interrogate any of them?"

"Yes, your grace." Link paused for a moment. "Did the Princess ever mention our encounters in the Faron Region?"

"Ah, yes. She told us all about MiarindÍl… But what does that have to do with anything?"

"My Queen. I learned from my interrogation that our invaders are the descendants of the Faronish people…"

The Queen seemed taken aback. "How can you be sure? Do they speak our language?"

"No, my Queen. In fact, we spent most our time trying to form some basic communication through naming objects, and drawings. It was not until the prisoner, who we learned was named Drodvaltol, identified the name for the sea in their native language that I was able to learn who they were.

"I learned from MiarindÍl that the Faronish word for sea is _sasherav-min,_ which roughly translates into deep-water. When Drodvaltol said 'sasherav-min,' I knew instantly that they must be the descendants of the Faronish people that set sail across the Great Sea 10,000 years ago. I then spoke the name of the Caretaker, to which he repeated in wide-eyed wonder.

"Your grace, I believe that I can learn what those specters are if I can get Drodvaltol to MiarindÍl, so that she can look into his mind, and translate his speech. I pray that we can figure out what evil plan is in place before it inevitably ensnares us."

The Queen mulled over his report for quite some time before responding. "This is astounding news to hear. We will of course do as you have suggested. Were you able to learn anything about the specters from Drodvaltol?"

"No, your grace." There was a long silence between them, as they pondered the issue further.

"Well, Master Link," she began despondently with a long sigh. "These are things we must discuss at a later time… We have―things to attend to. It will be dawn soon…" This was the first time in their conversation that the Queen seemed to actually choke on emotion.

"Of course, your ̶ " Link stopped abruptly when something grave came into his mind. "Hylia alive…" The Queen furrowed her eyebrows, expressing strife at his abrupt change in demeanor.

"What is it, Master Link?"

"I've just remembered something dreadful, your grace… Those specters… I've seen them before…" Like a fire the memories of his nightmares flashed before him. It had been so long since he was last disturbed by the ominous night terrors depicting the dark cloaked figures and the bright light at his back. Like many dreams, once one woke up, it was very hard to hold onto, and so it was easy to forget it all together. The nightmares had become so commonplace for him that he rarely paid them mind, and he cursed himself for not remembering them sooner. "How could I forget!?" he spat at himself angrily.

"Speak, Master Link."

"Your grace," he began, forgetting his place. "Please forgive me for my outburst, but I've had nightmares about those specters for as long as I can remember… I still can't believe I didn't remember it sooner…" It occurred to him that what if he had spoken up about his dreams earlier, they might have foreseen the invasion, and could have been more prepared. This revelation drove through his heart harder than any of his past failures, and he was frozen in shock.

"You've dreamt of these specters before!?"

"Yes your grace… It is always the same." He swallowed the lump in his throat before recounting the nightmares that he stopped paying attention to long ago. "I am kneeling in utter darkness, save the stars in the heavens, but even those are overtaken by an amassing form of black. Before me stand four figures, shrouded in black cloaks, and their faces are hidden from me. One rises above the rest then drives a blade through my chest as the other three specters watch from the back. I realize now that they are the same specters that attacked the Citadel, although, I never saw the leader of the group."

The Queen practically pulled Link from his knees, and he was amazed to feel how strong she was, given her small, slender frame. "Was there anything else? Anything more than the specters and the darkness!?" There was such an urgency in her voice that it made his heart beat quicker with anxiety.

"Yes, your grace… As the blade is driven further into my chest, a bright golden light appears behind my back, but I am unable to turn and see it… All I can hear is a soft muffled voice calling to me, however, I cannot understand it, except for one word… 'Master.'" Link's eye widened and he cursed his stupidity again as the connections were so simple to make now; how could he have missed it? "Although I have no proof, I have this unexplainable feeling that the light, and the voice are separate entities."

"You say you've had these dreams for many years?" the Queen asked in a much calmer voice. She waited with bated breath to hear his response.

"Yes, your grace. It became so common that I was able to dismiss them without a second thought, and eventually I forgot about them between each break." The Queen took a deep breath and closed her eyes, as if she were trying to process the information without distraction. When she finally opened her eyes again, they were glassy, but strong and determined.

"The voice you hear is undoubtedly the voice inside The Sword. It has been calling to you long before you came to bear it. The King said as much. He too could feel it drawn to you, and not to himself. That is why we were so certain you would be its next bearer.

"The figures could only be Ganon himself, and whatever his three puppets are. I pray that we will learn their true identities soon. As for the golden light, you say that you have a feeling it is an entity, and not just light, correct?"

"Well… It's only just a feeling, your grace. I cannot say for sure, but it _feels_ like the light is―something, or someone."

The Queen nodded slowly as if his words confirmed her suspicions. "Are there any other odd feelings you have?"

Link considered her question, and internally examined everything he could remember from his nightmares. "There is only one other feeling that stands out, your grace." He absentmindedly rubbed the center of his chest, right where the specter drove its blade in the dream. "While the blade did not seem to kill me as it should, there was this overwhelming feeling… I'm not sure how to explain it… It was as if it is drawing something out from me…"

The Queen's eyebrows shifted slightly, however they maintained their tempered worry. "How strange…" The Queen blinked listlessly, then lightly rubbed them with her fingers. "I cannot say with certainty exactly what this all means. Allow me time to think on it further," she sighed.

"My Queen," Link began, breaking the silence. "If I had spoken about this dream sooner, would we have been more prepared for such an attack?" His heart beat so roughly in his chest that he could feel the blood pulsating in his head. Could he have prevented the King's death beforehand, if they knew about his now seemingly prophetic dream? Was it all his fault? Did he ignore a warning sign sent by the goddess? Would the King still be alive if it weren't for his ignorance? This revelation weighed heavier on him than any of his past transgressions, and he feared that he would be overcome with such self-contempt for his lack of action that he would burst at the seams.

"Prepared? Perhaps, but it would not have helped. But we knew all along that _He_ would someday return. There is no way we could have known how and when he would appear." With calm hands she grasped the scabbard of the Master Sword in Link's hands, and rose it, pressing it against his chest. "Everything that has happened, has been for a reason, young master. Do not blame yourself for what has passed." She released her grip then gazed into his eyes wisely. "The safety of our kingdom rests on you and Zelda now. I will of course always be here to aid you in any way I can, but it all starts with you and the Princess." Link was speechless. Was he truly the new Chosen Hero?

 _How could you possibly fill that role?_ started one voice. _You are nothing but mewling child, weak and deplorable._

 _How can you deny the Queen's truth?_ answered the other. _You felt the weightlessness in your hand, heard the ringing in your ear, even received prophetic dreams. Whether you like it or not, you are the new Chosen One._

Link was beginning to be inclined to the latter. How could he deny the words of his Queen?

The Queen must have been able to notice his internal dilemma, as she placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. "Link. I understand how you must feel. Your predecessor suffered much like you do now. Hylia knows how long it took me to break him out of that hard shell. But he fought past his self-doubt after one-hundred years of slumber with little help and took up the Master Sword. Together he and I sealed Calamity Ganon away. It is now your time to do the same. Start it off right, and let yourself be assured in confidence." Link was stunned. He never imagined the King could have ever struggled with self-doubt. In a way, it brought him a small amount of comfort knowing that he was not the only one that struggled with the affliction.

"I will try, your grace. I swear it."

"Good. Now go and rest. You must be weary from battle and travel. Someone will wake you when its time."

"Yes, your grace." Link bowed. "Your grace," he asked, still bowing.

"Yes, Master Link?"

He arose. "Thank you." He felt calmer than before, but his emotions were still churning in his heart, but he did not show it.

"You're welcome." A bittersweet smile stretched across her sad face, and then she turned and left.

Link stood in silence, still grasping tightly onto the Master Sword. _I hope you're right. Hylia knows I'm not sure. But I swear I will do everything I can._

 _Father, if you can hear me. I ask that you give me strength, so that I might be honest, kind, and courageous. Courage most of all._

He clutched The Sword against his chest again, marveling in its mystical warmth.

 _Master,_ it whispered as faint as a spring breeze.


	23. Zelda's Lullaby

_Chapter twenty-three, Zelda's Lullaby_

"Come sweetheart! Up on my back!" Zelda did as he asked, and leapt up onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and held on with all of her strength. He laughed, gently pulling her arms away from his neck. "Goodness child, you have enough strength to strangle me. Careful!"

"I'm sorry father, I didn't mean to!"

"Ah, it's quite all right, my flower! Now. Where would you like to go?"

Zelda buried her face against the back of his shoulder, sheer joy on her face. "Can we go out into Hyrule Field? I want to see if I can find a Silent Princess!"

"A Silent Princess huh?" he chuckled. "Those are quite rare you know. I don't know if you will be able to find one out in the open plains, but I'm willing to try if you are!"

"Oh lets, please father!"

His head reared back in laughter. "I would do anything for you, dear." He looked over his shoulder and whispered. "Just don't tell your mother that. She'd say I'm spoiling you."

"I promise I won't, father. Besides, I promise I won't act like a spoiled child. I'm quite grown up you know!" Her father laughed again.

"Yes! Seven already. Goddess how you have grown!" He hiked her further up on his back, so that he could more comfortably carry her as they exited the west gate. Before long they were traversing through the tall grass of Hyrule Field, and the immaculate spring sun warmed the soil, awaking the crickets and birds.

"It's lovely out today, father!" Her father drew in a deep breath of the fresh air.

"It certainly is, my dear. It makes me want to go on another grand adventure!"

She pulled herself up further on his back so that she could speak into his ear. "Will you take me on an adventure some day?"

"Well, where would you like to go?" he asked with a debonair smirk.

"I want to see the Divine Beasts up close!"

He chuckled lightly. "That would be a lot of traveling indeed. It couldn't be all at one time, but maybe someday I'll take you with me to Zora's Domain, and we can see Vah Ruta together. Then we'll see about traveling to visit the others. Sound fair?"

"Of course father!"

"Then its settled! Does a promise make a good enough birthday present for you?"

Zelda tucked her head into the crook of his neck. "Yes father, it's the best gift you could give me!"

"Well then, I guess you won't want what I have in my pocket," he teased.

"What do you have in your pocket?" she asked gleefully. He helped her down onto the soft ground and then began to dig around in his pocket. Whatever it was, it was small enough to fit in his hand, as he reached out with a closed fist.

"Now close your eyes." She did as he commanded, unable to hold back and enormous grin that reached ear to ear. "Open up your hand." She felt a cool metal object fall into her outstretched palm. "Now, open your eyes." In the palm of her hand was a delicate golden necklace. Hanging on a thin golden chain was a gold Triforce, no bigger than the end of her thumb, and it was clutched in the outstretched wings of the Royal Family's signature bird.

"Oh father, its beautiful…" She looked up into her father's eyes as he knelt.

"I wanted to give you something that you could wear, so that you never forget who you are. So that you always know that no matter what, your mother and I love you more than words can express." It was such a rare sight to see her father's eyes well with tears, but this was one of those special moments when he could not hide the unsurpassed ability to love to the point of joyful tears. Zelda's eyes watered as well as she almost knocked him over with the suddenness of her loving embrace.

"Zelda dear," he coughed in laughter. "You're choking me again."

"I'm sorry! I just love you so much father!" His warm arms wrapped around her, and cradled her head.

"And I love you, my little flower." The held each other for a while longer until her father suddenly pulled away with a gasp. "Look sweetheart. Over there in the dell between those two trees!" Zelda spun around, and followed his pointed finger, seeing in the distance two small trees, and a small flower between them. Without saying another word, they sprinted over to the dell, and knelt down on the green grass, beholding a beautiful and rare sight. A small, solitary flower bravely bloomed in the early morning sun, putting on a rich display of white and light blue. Her father gentle stroked the petal of the stunning flower with reverence and child-like awe.

"I can't believe we actually found one, Zelda. It's a genuine Silent Princess!"

"It's more beautiful than I could have imagined." She reached to pluck it, but her father quickly stopped her.

"Leave it dear. A Silent Princess is not a flower you should pick for an old reason. It is such a rare and wonderous flower, that you should let it grow freely, so that it might send its seedlings out and make more. You should only pick them for very _very_ important occasions."

"Like when you picked one to propose to mother?" she asked with a smirk. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.

"That was one of the most important occasions of my life, except maybe when you were born," he chuckled. "You have no idea how long I searched the wilds for one." He sat down and rested his elbows on his knees. "When I finally got back to the castle I was covered in mud, and soaked to the bone from all the rain. True, I could have cleaned up and gotten dressed in my finest clothes, but I couldn't bear to wait a second longer. When I burst through the front door, your mother thought that we were under attack, given my urgency. You should have seen the look on her face when I knelt down, and asked her to marry me, Silent Princess in hand." Her father gazed back at the flower before them, a bright warm smile on his mouth. "Despite how filthy I was, your mother kissed me like it would be our last, and she got mud all over her fine dress, but she didn't care one bit." He closed his eyes and looked up to the warm sun under the shade of the trees, soaking up the gentle breeze and reveling in every detail of his fondest memory.

"I hope that someday I can marry a man that loves me as much as you love mother," Zelda said longingly. Her father cracked and eye open, then wrapped a tender arm around her, bringing her under his wing.

"I pray to Hylia that you do, my sweet child." The sat in the tranquil silence for the better part of ten minutes, until her father finally shifted. "How about you try on your new necklace? I'm dying to see you wear it." With a cheery grin he helped her latch the necklace around her neck, and then helped her fix her unruly hair.

"It looks wonderful on you dear," he exclaimed. "I must say, I have excellent taste." He squinted an eye at her as he smiled smartly.

"You do father! It really is beautiful." She hugged him again and then whispered into his ear. "I'll keep it forever. I promise."

"Good. Think of it as a keepsake, for my promise to show you the Divine Beasts."

Zelda shot of bed, tears already falling the moment she woke up. She covered her eyes in the palms of her hands and began to wail in agony. She fell back against her pillow and sob bitterly, desperately clinging to the passing dream, wishing for nothing more than to spend the rest of her life reliving that moment. She still felt physically weak from over exerting her powers the day before, but now that her mental exhaustion had worn off, all the withheld emotions poured into her heart, driving their painful stakes deep into her core, causing her to wail even louder. Her handmaid abruptly entered with a worried expression.

"Oh you poor little thing," she exclaimed before jogging over to her side to comfort her. Zelda latched onto her like a child would latch onto their mother, and cried into her shoulder. "There there, little princess. Let it all out. You're safe in here." Her handmaid gently rocked her back and forth, and began to hum her childhood lullaby. It was an ancient lullaby, passed down through the Royal Family for countless centuries, only ever being taught to the family itself, and their most trusted servants as a rite of gratitude. It was a well-kept secret. Gretel, having been a devout handmaid and nurse to Zelda since the day of her birth, was granted the privilege of learning the soothing tune, to hum and sing to Zelda when she was young.

When Zelda's tears had been spent―which took the better part of a half hour―Gretel dried her cheeks with her apron, declaring that she should take a moment to cool off, and then undress to take a much-needed warm bath. Zelda said nothing, but nodded and finally stood, trembling only slightly. With her handmaidens help, Zelda walked to her bathroom, and undressed, then stepped into the tub. The warm water helped soothe her aching muscles, and warmed her to the bone. Now that she had a moment to gather her composure, she finally began to speak again, returning to a more normal version of herself.

"Thank you, Gretel… I… awoke from a dream about my father, it was a memory of when we were out in Hyrule Field together, and it just faded away so quickly."

"Was it a good memory, my lady?" she asked as she dutifully helped her wash.

Zelda began to tear up again. "One of the best," is all she could say.

"Well I'm glad that it was a good one at least. It's always good to remember the fond memories."

"Yes… But it makes it hurt even more."

"I know, sweet Princess." Gretel gently patter her head with her boney, but soft hand. "You can let it all out now. And when you feel strong again, we'll get you dressed and fed."

"Thank you, Gretel."

"Of course, my lady."

For a while, the gentle splashes of water was all that made noise. It felt good to finally release her pent-up emotion. While she certainly did her fair share of crying at the Citadel, she had to restrain herself in the presence of others, but now that she was in the safety of her own home, she felt like she could finally let her guard down, as the full weight of reality trickled down to her. She thought that perhaps it was because now that her mind had a chance to process everything that had happened, she could comprehend the full extent of her grief. While she was bathing she teetered between crying, and laughing at her fond memories. There was no it denying it, however. Today was the day that she would have to watch as her father was laid to rest. It would be the physical manifestation of closure and the forthcoming of reality. The door to her childhood would be closed, and now her life would be plunged into uncertainty, as she and her Appointed Knight would be pitted against the forces of evil. She had finally accepted the passing of her father, but accepting her destiny as it was to pass was a harder pill to swallow. There were so many unknowns, so many fears. Would she be strong enough to endure the trials ahead? She could not say. It remained silent for a while longer, until Zelda spoke again.

"Gretel," she said quietly.

"Yes, my lady?"

"I would like to wear the necklace my father gave me when I was seven. The little golden Triforce and bird one."

"Of course, my lady! I would be glad to grab it from your jewelry box. It such a simple and beautiful little thing."

"Yes. Yes, it is. He always did have a good taste in jewelry." Zelda chuckled for a moment, remembering one of his quirky quips. "He said that when he first visited Gerudo Town after he awoke, he had to disguise himself as a Vai, and so that required that he develop what he said was a 'womanly appreciation of jewelry.'"

Gretel laughed honestly. "Your father never ran out of fanciful stories, I'm sure, my lady."

Zelda smiled, and for a moment she forgot her pain. "See, the funny thing is, mother said that every word of it was true. She watched from Beyond as he snuck around in clothing fit for a fine Gerudo woman, and none were the wiser." Zelda found to her surprise that she was laughing, but it quickly returned to teary-eyed sorrow.

"I'm glad to see that even in his passing, your father can still bring you laughter," Gretel said wisely. "It's what he would have wanted. To see you laugh. He loved you so much."

"I know," she sobbed. "And I loved him…" Gretel let her quietly sob for a while longer while she gently tended to her, before encouraging her to stand and dry off. Drying her hair was always a battle, since there was so much of it, but after several minutes of hard work, they managed to dry her hair enough to at least work into a simple braid. It was going to be a cold day like the night before, and so Gretel wisely decided that her hair should be pinned up as much as possible, so that its dampness would not chill her neck and back. It was not a perfect solution, but at least her back would remain completely dry.

As Zelda had requested, Gretel brought out the necklace her father gifted to her when she turned seven, and hung it around her neck. She thought on the promise he made to her about seeing all of the Divine Beasts, and while he remained true to his word and the visited three of them, they never got the chance to see Vah Rudania, as her father was concerned about the treacherous environment, being so close to Death Mountain. He asked her to wait until she was older before they would make that perilous trip, to which she reluctantly agreed to. However, it slipped their minds after her seventeenth birthday, and so they would never get that chance now, seeing that he passed away before they could fulfill that promise.

Naturally, she held no ill-will against him. How could she? There was never a truer man in their history, and she knew without a doubt that he would have kept true to his word, had he gotten the chance. If only he had the chance. Like clockwork, Zelda began to cry again. _Goddess, how am I going to keep it together during the funeral?_

When she was dressed and ready, Gretel led her to the door by her arm, as Zelda was still a little wobbly and weak. With a balancing hand, Gretel opened the door, and they were both surprised to find a fair knight dutifully awaiting them.

Link was already suited in his Royal Guard's armor, and his face was freshly shaven and clean, his long golden hair pulled back and tied neatly. Tucked under his arm was his helmet―his real one, not the one he scavenged during the battle for the Citadel―and on his back, was the Master Sword. Zelda half jumped, and sighed with relief. It seemed so _right_ seeing him carry the Master Sword, but she was admittedly surprised to find him already waiting for her. Instead of bowing, as 'normal' protocol called for, he took a knee and bowed his head.

"My lady."

"Link. How long have you been waiting out here?"

He stood from his kneel, and she now saw that droopy bags hung under his eyes, but he otherwise seemed okay. Just tired. "Not too terribly long, my lady. Have I done wrong?"

"No, of course not. I just didn't expect to see you here."

"I woke early this morning and visited my father's home, to check on everything―and grab some things. Once that was done I wanted to see how you were faring. Are you strong enough to walk on your own?" His concern was comforting, as she could tell that it was genuine, and not just solely founded in duty. Gretel shot Zelda a smart smirk.

"I can walk, although I am still a little wobbly. I would gladly accept your help."

He bowed slightly, and offered his arm. "Of course, my lady."

"You take care of her now, Master Link," Gretel commented with a well-meaning smile.

"Yes ma'am." Link dipped his head slightly, gesturing his gratitude. With the Princess on his right arm, which was opposite of what was considered the traditional side to escort on, although the Princess did not question it, as she knew he specifically chose that side so that his left hand was free to draw the Master Sword in a moment's notice.

"Where do you need to go, my lady?"

"To the Dining Hall, please."

"Of course, my lady."

Link allowed her to set the pace, which was faster than the day before, but still considerably slower than normal. While her muscles did not ache like they did before her bath, they still felt weak, almost as if she had lost it all together, but Link was a steady escort.

"I apologize that you had to carry me to my room. I hate to be a burden, especially when it's my fault."

"Don't say that, my lady," he insisted kindly. "It was not your fault. I was glad to help you, as I am glad to help you now."

"Yes, but I should have known not to try to use my powers while resting on the wagon. It made thinks far more difficult."

Link looked down to her slightly. "But you did not know, my lady. Don't beat yourself up over it… Besides, now you know your limits. Commander Varin always told me it's better to learn your limits early, instead of waiting for when your back is against the wall. How can one train to excel themselves if they do not understand their own limits?"

Zelda smiled politely. "I suppose he has a point. I will certainly learn for this experience," she said assuredly.

"And that's all that matters, my lady. You will become stronger through your trials, and your hard work will pay off, I promise."

"Thank you, Link," she whispered. He seemed different from the day before. While she only felt emotionally weaker and drained, he only seemed stronger and more determined. She wondered if her mother spoke to him when she fell asleep, and somehow instilled self-confidence into him. His shoulders did not hang as low as the day before, and he was actually carrying the Master Sword on his back instead of hiding it.

"How do you feel, Link?" she asked after their brief silence. He glanced at her, as if he were almost surprised by her concern.

"I feel well, my lady. I of course mourn for my King, but on the whole I am well." He cleared his throat then continued. "More importantly, how are you faring, my lady?"

Zelda slowed down a little, and took in a long breath. "I would be a liar if I said that I did not cry all while getting ready." Her voice and eyes turned downtrodden, but she resolutely kept walking, determined to not cry.

"And no one would blame you, my lady." There was a slight shudder in his voice, but his fortitude was not compromised. "I know the pain all too well," he added quietly with a wistful gaze. At his sad statement her determination wavered, and soon her eyes were wet, and she could not help but sniffle. They passed a few guards, and even fewer servants, and so Zelda tried to put on a brave face as she politely thanked them for their kind condolences, noting that some of them also had teary eyes. Deep down however, all she wanted to do was be alone for a moment, and just cry into Link's shoulder, no matter how cold and rough his armor might be.

With every passing sympathy, Zelda began to feel mentally weaker, and she started to fear that she would not be able to hold it together, and would break down in the corridor. She noticed something odd however. As they made their way to the Dining Hall, Link abruptly veered right, and led her down a quiet hallway. It took her a moment to realize what he was doing. He was leading her through a back way to the Dining Hall, practically avoiding all contact with other people. Without her even saying a word he sensed exactly what was upsetting her, and took corrective action with a silent and gentle demeanor, stealthily weaving their way through the maze of hallways. It was not long until they were at the side entrance, having avoided every soul between them and the Dining Hall. He glanced down at her with a knowing smile.

"Thank you, Link," she whispered.

"Of course, my lady." He bowed his head then opened the door, and led her inside. Her mother stood from her chair when she entered and gracefully strode over to her, wrapping her slender arms around her and embraced her tightly.

"Come sweetheart. You must be starving." The Queen lightly kissed her forehead, then beckoned for them to follow. "Are you feeling stronger?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Although I still feel a little wobbly. Luckily, Link was already waiting for me when I left my room, and offered his help." Both women smiled kindly at Link, who only dutifully bowed his head again.

"Just as kind and thoughtful as the day we met you," the Queen remarked with an even brighter smile.

"It was my duty, and pleasure, your grace." After pulling out Zelda's chair, he helped her sit, then scooted her in closer to the table before silently slipping away with a bow, and left the Queen and her daughter to eat in peace. Zelda was sad to see him leave, as she was just growing accustom to the warmth and courage he brought her, but it was overruled by her desire to talk―and cry―with her mother. Her mother did not begin speaking until Link was gone.

"I'm glad to see he's finally carrying The Sword."

Zelda tilted her head slightly. "Did he tell you what happened?" she asked curiously, hoping that she would relay it to her, since Link seemed to avoid the topic the day before.

"Yes. Did he not tell you?" Her mother's questioning eyes were serene, although they were notably redder than usual, which was no surprise, as she got almost no sleep from crying in the confines of her room. The Queen's maids were dumbfounded when they found the Queen already dressed and leaving her room at dawn, carrying herself with immense grit. While the Queen was certainly not afraid to show her emotions, there was an unexplainable strength she bore in the adversities of life. Even at the loss of her lover of nearly one-hundred and fifty years; she persevered courageously once her tears had been spent.

"…Not really, no. He avoided the subject entirely I'm afraid. At least with me…" A tray of food was set down before her and her mother and they began to sip on the warm soup lightly. The Dining Hall was uncharacteristically quiet. In happier days, there never ceased to be laughter in the long hall of large wooden tables. When the Royal Family was not entertaining, the King, Queen, and Princess would share their meals together, and discuss their daily happenings, from the most minute, to the most spectacular events. However, on that cold and blustery autumn day, there was no such laughter and welcoming atmosphere. At the head of the table sat an unoccupied chair next to Zelda's mother. Never in her life did Zelda think that a mere chair could bring tears to her eyes, but the loving image of her father was so ingrained into every aspect of their home, that everything she looked at remaindered her of him. In the early days of their reborn kingdom, her father worked tirelessly alongside their hired laborer's, tearing away the old and broken, and building the new. He was a part of the castle as much as the very stones of its foundation.

Although he never bragged about it, as their little city grew in the early days, he had become quite renown as not only a great warrior―if not the greatest in recorded memory, but also an extraordinary carpenter, mason, and overall handyman. With the help of his trusted friend Hudson and the rest of his construction crew, they worked from dawn till dusk, digging holes, laying foundations, repairing walls, and building new homes for the ever-increasing influx of traders, of Hylian, Zora, Gerudo, Goron, and Rito people alike, all searching for promises of a new and unified life. He once told her that before he ever proposed to her mother, he was worried that the new Hyrulean people would not accept a commoner as their king, and in all honesty he never wanted to be king; only to be with his beloved one. However, their unwavering love and support him brought him as many great titles and names that would make any old king jealous. From names like the Great City Builder, Savior of Hyrule, Chosen Hero, and Hylia's Liberator, many Hylians already saw him as their king long before it was official. Besides, it not like there were any more noblemen alive after the fall of Old Hyrule, and even if there was, the Queen's heart belonged to one man, and one many only. Sadly, that man was gone now, and they were left heart broken and shattered at the resurrection of the ancient power that oppressed them nearly fifty years prior.

It was not until her mother had finished her first spoonful that she spoke again.

"We spoke long after he put you to bed… I thought he would exhaust his lungs from speaking his lengthy report."

"That doesn't sound much like him―at least not as of the last few years. I can barely get a word out of him sometimes."

The Queen studied her daughter with a thoughtful expression. "Yes. While he would never give a false report, I certainly had to do my fair share of prying for a more complete picture. Although, he seemed more willing to offer up his own failures and shortcomings, than his successes in this instance. Even now I think he still feels guilty."

"Guilty of what?" Zelda asked urgently. "Goddess knows I saw his shield-brothers silently chastise him, but he never would say why."

"He really told you nothing?" the Queen asked with mild surprise.

"No…" she replied with fearful meekness.

Her mother sighed lightly. "I guess I understand his reasoning for doing so. He did not want to risk upsetting you, even me, further."

"What did he do?" Zelda reiterated.

"As you saw for yourself, his comrades at the Citadel seem to scorn him." She cleared her throat. "They want to charge him for being an imposter."

"An imposter!?"

"Which is of course a ridiculous accusation," she reaffirmed. "After hearing his report, and receiving a written report from both Commander Nell and Lord Aron this morning, it is clearly a huge misunderstanding of intent."

"Mother, what happened!?" Zelda asked open mouth bewilderment.

Before her mother began to recount everything she had learned, she took a long sip from her glass, then inhaled and exhaled, as if emotionally preparing herself.

"After Link left you to join the battle below, he wisely took it upon himself to wear a helmet, which naturally protected his head, however it also concealed his face. In addition to that, no one besides you, the late King, and him knew what had transpired in the courtyard. And so, when he fought alongside his comrades, they all mistook him to be your father, as he was in likeness to his size and build. And with the Master Sword in his hand, his similarity was uncanny and easily mistaken. In the heat of the battle, Link did not realize this, and so he did not dissuade their misidentification.

"According to Commander Nell, Link unknowingly rallied the men and they pushed them back out through the southern gateway, and blockaded it. Even for a time, the Commander believed he was the King, as he fought with the same tenacity and bravery. It was not until he was standing before him that he realized this error. Despite Link's reluctance, he followed Commander Nell's order to remain 'disguised,' and led a cavalry charge in the Kings stead, as Commander Nell feared their morale would be compromised if they learned the truth to soon. None were the wiser, until his helmet fell from his head, revealing his true identity. That was when the men turned against him, for they felt that he had lied to them, and that he was insulting the King's good name on the hour of his death. Many even felt that his intentions were of usurpation, and some even accused him of murdering the King to take the Master Sword for himself.

"You of course know that it is utterly false, but to the unsuspecting knight, the appearance of what had transpired was certainly not in Link's favor. He practically begged for punishment, as he seemed to have begun to believe he was guilty as his brothers charged him."

Zelda was too shocked to say anything. Before she could even stop it, light tears started rolling down her cheeks. The truth was finally out. That was why he was afraid to carry the Master Sword. Even as he fought to save the people of Tarrey Town, fought to protect both her and her father, and rallied the men of the Citadel and pushed back their invaders, the only thanks he got was false accusations and hatred from his own shield-brothers. And despite all that, despite everything that came crashing down on _his_ shoulders, not a single complaint ever passed his lips. He instead dedicated his every moment after the fact ensuring her safety and comfort.

"How… How could they blame him for all that? How could he believe that he was guilty?" is all she managed to stammer. Her mother's warm hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"This is why he wanted to withhold this information from you. Not only is he―well, hopefully no longer―ashamed of himself, but he wanted to protect you from any news that would further upset you." Her soft hand brushed against her cheek. "But I know you're strong enough. He has to learn to communicate openly with you, even when it will hurt. You need to help him along that path."

Zelda wiped her tears away. "You know how it went last time I tried," she retorted.

"I'm not talking about revitalizing your relationship with him," she said plainly. The comment admittedly stung Zelda's heart, but she knew she meant it with the best intentions. "In fact, I think at this point, it would be better to leave _that_ topic be for the time being. What we need to focus on is making sure that he is ready to do what is necessary to fulfill his role. And you must do the same."

It was such a hard pill to swallow, and her previous attempts to wipe away her tears proved to be futile. She did not know what to say, and so she only began to cry.

"Zelda," she started softly. "I know it's not easy. I know it's not fair. But there is too much at stake." Her mother stood from her chair, and wrapped her arms around her, gently cradling her head in the hallow of her shoulder. "But let's not worry about that right now, okay? We'll leave it for another day. Today, we will honor your father, and bless his memory."

"I miss him, mother. How could he be gone?" Her whole body began to rack with whimpered sobs.

"I know sweetheart. I miss him too. Just let it all out." Like her handmaid had done, her mother gently rocked her, and began to hum the ancient lullaby of their family. The Queen's tears mingled freely with her daughter's, and for the brief moment they shared, the world around them seemed to crumble and fade away. When their tears were spent, they continued to finish their now cold meals, only passing a few words to one another, but they shared their collective mourning with easier hearts now that they were together. The quiet of the early morning now seemed more peaceful than before, and for once, Zelda felt at ease. True, her heart still ached, but it was not painful in the sense of hopelessness. It was instead a sense of tranquility, and meaningful lamentation. Perhaps her father's kindred spirit was watching over them, and even in the afterlife sought to bring them comfort. It was a nice sentiment to think about, and in a way, it helped her feel like her father would not be forgotten, just sorely missed, as he would always be with them, and all they had to do was pray out to him to receive his blessing. The silence was broken when there was a light rap on the door. Zelda's mother bid them to enter, and soon a young courier entered the room, and bowed kindly.

"Your grace. King Sidon has arrived, and wishes to speak with you and the princess. Shall I bring him in, or do you wish to wait a little longer?"

"No, please, send him in. I think we could all use a little bit of his overt optimism."

"Of course, your grace." The courier left with a quick bow, and let them to finish their meal in silence.

Zelda had only ever met King Sidon on two occasions. Once being when he was just a prince, under his father, but that was many years ago, and his father had long since passed away from old age, which by Zora's life expectancy was very old indeed. And the second occasion was on his coronation day, which was the same day she first went to see the Divine Beast Vah Ruta with her father. The room practically lit up when the King of the Zora's entered the room several minutes later, as his bright maroon scales bounced light in a most fantastic display of shimmering ruby red, even on such an overcast day. With grace only matched by the Queen herself, he strode forward, offering a bright smile.

"Queen Zelda, I am most overjoyed to see you again!" It was not often when Zelda heard others refer to her mother by her name―given that they shared the same ancestral name. Most everyone avoided referring to the Queen as such, so that there was not cause confusion among them. However, King Sidon had been their one true friend in the early days, and was the head pioneer in restoring diplomatic relations between the Zora and Hylrulean people. And so, he was naturally very close to both the Queen and the King, and often called them by the first names alone.

"As I am glad to see you, King Sidon." She and her mother stood to greet their guest with proper bows and curtsies. When Zelda wavered a little, her mother helped her stand by tucking her arm around hers.

"I am of course most distraught at my reason for being here," he started, sounding uncharacteristically melancholy. "I offer my most generous condolences, and sympathies along with all Zora folk, but I am here all the same, and I say that we cheer to the King's good fortune."

"I must agree. We were just finishing out breakfast. You of course remember my daughter," she said, gesturing to Zelda. King Sidon turned with a welcoming smile of his pearly white―and noticeably pointed―teeth.

"Of course, how could I forget such a beautiful and kind spirit. She's grown so much since we last met, but she looks more like you and her father than ever!" Like her mother had said, his overt optimism certainly did lighten their mood, and Zelda found that she was smiling genuinely.

"Thank you, King Sidon. It's good to see you again. I was sad that we did not get the chance to visit the Domain on our way back, I knew that both my Appointed Knight and I looked forward to visit, and see Vah Ruta."

Sidon chuckled loudly, and bowed his head. "And we were sad to not have the opportunity to receive you. However, Vah Ruta will certainly not be moving any time soon, so don't think that you can't still visit and gaze upon her magnificence to your hearts content." He flashed another suave smile. "And speaking of your Appointed Knight, he seems like quite a durable little fellow."

"You spoke to him?"

"I did! How could I not take the opportunity to speak to the Chosen Hero's spiritual successor? I must admit though, he seems rather serious," he added with a squinted smile.

"He wasn't rude was he!?"

"No of course not," he explained with another cheerful smile. "The farthest from it! In fact, I find his seriousness rather admirable. There's a certain quality of strength to it. He seems like a worthy recipient of the Master Sword to me."

"Yes, it seems that we may have finally convinced him of that as well," the Queen remarked. "We of course understand his plight. Receiving such a responsibility is no simple burden, but we have kept our eye on him ever since the King met him when he was only ten."

"And how many years ago was that?"

"Seven."

Sidon chuckled. "Seventeen! He appears much older than that. Perhaps more in bearing than looks, but he seems like a fierce warrior, given the scars he already possesses."

"Your grace," the courier from earlier interrupted, bowing again. "It seems that General Teba has just flown in from Rito Village, as Yunobo has also arrived by foot―or, by rolling more accurately."

"Any news of Riju, of Gerudo?"

"We received one of her scout-riders, who turned back to report back to the chief. They will be here soon, no doubt. Although the cold seems to have slowed their progress."

"And Paya, of the Shiekah?"

"No word yet, your grace. Although, you know how Sheikah can be. They like to enter unannounced."

"Please ensure that Larin sees that they are taken care of. I will receive them all in the Inner Sanctum around lunch time."

"Yes, your grace."

The Queen turned to Sidon. "You must be tired from your travels. I have rooms prepared for you and your people, I encourage you to rest while we have the chance."

Sidon bowed his head and smiled. "You are most generous, Queen Zelda. I will do as you bid."

"You're welcome. Word will be sent to you when it is time."

With their brief pleasantries completed, King Sidon was ushered away to his room, leaving Zelda and her mother alone in the Dining Hall once again.

"I wish I could always be as happy and cheery as King Sidon," Zelda remarked longingly in a quiet and melancholy voice. Her mother chuckled lightly.

"Don't we all." Her mother stretched back down into her chair, and stirred her cold soup listlessly. "Well. I think I've lost my appetite. What about you, dear?"

"I think I'm done too."

"Very well. You are free to do as you wish for the time being, just make sure Link is with you, in case you grow weak and need help. I will call you when it is time." Zelda had no complaints to her bidding, and so she only nodded in agreeance. The Queen hugged her again, before giving her a light kiss on the forehead, saying: "Stay strong, love."

"Thank you, mother," she whispered back. After a brief pause Zelda continued. "Was there anything else Link told you?"

"Many more things. But I'm afraid we don't have time to speak of them now. Besides, they can stand to wait one day." Her mother sent for Link, and within a moment, he entered with a gracious bow.

"Your grace, my lady."

"Would you be so kind to help the Princess, and take her wherever she wishes to go."

"Of course, your grace."

"Thank you." After one last squeeze of her hand, the Queen left down the hallway to attend to the rather unpleasant details of a funeral.

"Where would you like to go, my lady?"

Zelda wondered the same thing herself. She knew that she wanted to be somewhere quiet, and peaceful, but she did not want to go back to her room, since Link would not be allowed in―or more accurately―he would never allow himself in. And while she desired some solitude, she equally did not want to be left alone.

"The Library," she finally decided. It was the perfect candidate. It would be quiet and peaceful, but she could take Link with her, and on top of that she would have something to occupy her troubled mind with.

"Yes, my lady."

It was a long walk from the Dining Hall to the Library, but she had grown so accustom to it, as it felt like that's all she did half the time at home; walk down the endless corridors to get from one place to the next. Normally she would not need an escort, since there were guards at nearly every major doorway, but given her current tendency to stumble, she was more than glad to have Link at her side.

As she had anticipated, no one else was in the Library, not even the librarians. Not a noise could be heard, save their footsteps and breathing. _Peace._ She sighed with relief, taking in the faint aroma of parchment and leather, and the low burning candle wax. It even seemed to put Link at ease, as he began to walk with a little more pleasantry instead of marching like a soldier in formation. She knew at that moment she made a good choice, not only for herself, but for him as well.

"Do you like the Library?" she asked as the descended the stairs.

"Yes, my lady."

"Good," she replied with a smile, which he reciprocated. She felt rather winded after their long walk, and so he helped her sit down at one of the many long tables that ran down the center of the Library.

"Would you like any particular book, my lady?" Zelda pondered his question carefully, running through a list of her favorite books in her head.

"Over there," she said, pointing to the west wall. "On the third shelf there should be a book called ' _Poems of Ancient Hyrule.'_ It's a rather large, dark leather-bound book." An idea was forming in her head.

"Yes, my lady." It did not take long for him to find it, and so he toted it back, and set it in front of her, then stepped a few paces back, nearly disappearing behind one of the many stone pillars in the room, and stood at attention.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a slight air of amusement.

"…Guarding, my lady."

Zelda smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it. There's plenty of guards nearby, and you'll be right here. Why don't you come and sit, I have a few poems I think you might like."

He seemed hesitant at first, but he finally nodded, and approached. She motioned for him to sit, which he finally did after removing the Master Sword from his back and rested it on the table as if it were a delicate pottery heirloom. Zelda opened the large book, and began to search for a very particular page.

"Ah," she exclaimed after finally finding her mark. "This is one of my favorite poems. It's about an ancient hero that once used that sword." Link nodded slightly, seeming a little hesitant, but he did not voice his concern. Zelda began reciting it from the page in a soft voice.

" _Bleak was the time of the Hyrulean crown.  
_ _On the verge of war, it was; threatened to be drowned.  
_ _When the war broke out, and the towns were burnt and brazened,  
_ _one young mother sought to save her only son, in doubtful search of a haven._

" _Dark was the hour of her demise, as she collapsed from her mortal wounds.  
_ _From her eyes tears fell so pure of love, that the great Deku Tree did loom.  
_ _With her last dying breath, did she make her final request;  
_ _that the ancient tree should take and raise him._

" _Hair of golden light he was, long and unruly,  
_ _but a gentle and sweet boy was he truly.  
_ _And so, ten years did the great tree raise him,  
_ _and clothed him in tunic of green, that the children of the forest had made him._

" _But his peace was that of false'ty,  
_ _for soon did destiny call him haughtily.  
_ _Through trial and toil, did the young boy face,  
_ _until the three golden goddesses parted to him their grace._

" _A mighty sword, did they award him, but seven years was there of postponement.  
_ _His body and mind, locked away,  
_ _until he awoke on his appointed day._

" _A meager boy of just seventeen he was,  
_ _when he wielded the Master Sword with purpose and cause.  
_ _For mysterious are the ways of the golden goddesses,  
_ _that a mere orphan boy would rise to fight in all accordance's._

" _Courageously did he peruse, leaving behind self-doubt; and all that it ensued.  
_ _For pure was his heart of gold, when he solely invaded Ganondorf's hold._

" _With confidence and pride, did he fight against evil's tide,  
_ _till at last came the long-sought end of Evil's reprieve.  
_ _With his left hand he smote, as the minstrels did note,  
_ _till Evil's death did come to pass."_

Zelda found that Link was holding onto her every word, while he carefully examined the faintly painted picture of a green clad hero, battling the fabled Ganondorf. A small smile stretched across her mouth, as she was rather proud of how she managed to captivate his attention.

"I've heard that story before, although it wasn't in the form of a poem, my lady."

"And what did you think of it?"

He grinned slightly, despite trying to hide it. "I liked it, my lady," he responded shortly. Zelda hoped that he would elaborate a little more, but seeing that he was satisfied with his curt answer, she decided to explain, or hint at her reason for reading it to him.

"Now, this poem specifically focuses in on both the inner and outer transformation of the Hero. However, the most notable changes are from within. There are countless stories, songs, and poems of how the Hero of Time cast away his self-doubts, reservations, and fears, to conquer evil. It is even said that he battled a shade of himself; a dark spirit that sought to prey on his inhibitions, but he was victorious, and thus came closer to his true destiny."

His eyes shifted, and his brow perked and sank. She knew by his thoughtful expression that her point had been made and received; he was applying that same logic to himself.

"Even though he was a young orphan boy, a _nobody,_ he achieved the unimaginable. He rose beyond any before him, cast aside his doubt, took hold of the Master Sword, and fought back the great evil." Link looked up at her, then back to the Master Sword, never saying a word. That was when Zelda dared to place her hand on his shoulder. He shuddered slightly, but did not pull away. With a voice almost as soft as a whisper she continued.

"Mother told me of what happened at the Citadel. How the men called you an imposter." Link abruptly fell from his chair and sank down to one knee, bowing his head.

"I swear that I never intended it to be so, my lady. Even when Commander Nell order ̶ "

"I know," she interrupted. "I know you would never dare to do such a thing. Link, I could never be angry with you. You acted as any honorable knight would. I'm not mad that you kept it from me, because I know that you did so with the best intentions, and desire for my wellbeing."

He swallowed the lump in his throat before responding. "Thank you, my lady. But I also acted cowardly. I was too cowardly to carry the Master Sword as you bid me, and so I cowered behind my helmet. I cowered under my brothers like a whimpering child.

"A Hero should have only courage in his heart, but I fear I have none. The Sword sings to me, and yet I fear I will never be enough to wield its true potential.

"I will never be enough," he repeated.

"Would it surprise you to know that my father once said the same thing about himself?" she asked. Zelda's eyes felt wet, but she blinked it away easy enough. Link looked at her in astonishment.

"Surely not, my lady…" he stated with hesitation. "All the stories recount how courageous he always was, from the very beginning."

Zelda chuckled honestly. "Well he certainly was courageous, but when I was younger he used to tell me stories about how he struggled with self-doubt. He had a very similar upbringing to what you had, being a Knight of Hyrule, and trained as a young boy. He was only eighteen when he drew the Master Sword from the pedestal, but for some people that was not enough in their eyes, and so they shunned and doubted him; they could not believe that a boy who had never proven himself in battle could ever wield the Master Sword. Even Revali, the great Rito Champion openly mocked and detested him.

"However, worse than even that, my own mother despised and chastised him. To this day she regrets the way she treated him all those years ago." She laughed a little, growing teary-eyed. "Sometimes she would fuss so much when it was brought up, that father had to whisk her away with kisses just to prove that he held nothing against her past mistakes, swearing that they buried that hatchet long before the rise of Calamity Ganon.

"But before they ever fell in love almost one-hundred and fifty years ago, mother doubted him as much as he doubted himself. It was not until he awoke from his century long sleep, devoid of all memory, that he was able to work past his reservations, and once again wielded the Master Sword."

Link looked bewildered and shocked. "I never heard that side of the story… I just thought that the King was always so strong and confident…"

She felt a warm tear roll down her cheek, as she could not avoid thinking about her father's death, but she wiped it away before it fell any further. "Do you think the Master Sword would choose someone who has been arrogantly self-assured all his life? What kind of hero would that man make, if he was so blinded by his own cockiness? There's a reason honest and humble men are chosen, Link. The Master Sword did not choose you because you thought that you worthy. It chose you because it knew that you had the strength to overcome your inhibitions, and live your life as an honest, kind, and courageous man. Even the Hero of Time battled with himself, but what important is that he overcame it."

Link's eyes widened, and for a moment she thought she saw tears welling in his blue eyes, but nothing ever came. Regardless, her statement made a visible impact on him. 'Honest, kind, and courageous;' those were the three words he would often repeat to her when they were younger. Those were the words of his father, and the standard he strove to achieve. Link remained silent, and so she gladly allowed him a long moment of silence to ponder what she was telling him.

"Now," she started cheerily, breaking the silence, satisfied with her philosophical handiwork. "Would you like to hear another poem? There's hundreds of them in here."

"Only if it would please you, my lady."

"Would it please you, Master Link?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes, my lady," he finally admitted.

"Then it would please me."

Link sat back in his chair, and Zelda set about finding a more light-hearted poem to read. They read together for the better part of the morning, blissfully being taken away from the dark and terrible reality of death. Zelda even witnessed Link laugh for the first time in what felt like centuries after reading a particularly silly poem, which seemed to have surprised him as much as it did her. Did she dare hope that he was finally returning to her? She was scared to even think about it, much less hope for it. Regardless, they reveled in the peace and distraction, as both of their minds were freed from the demons that ensnared them. It was a harsh wakeup call when a courier disturbed their worry-free session, biding the Princess to come for lunch. Her heart sank as the weight of grief returned to rest upon her, and Link retreated back into the guise of the servant―not that it ever left, just that it was subdued a little.

She finally felt strong enough to walk on her own confidently, but she did not voice it, preferring to be escorted around by Link. Subconsciously she even may―or may not have― _acted_ a little weaker than she really was. Her lunch was rather uneventful, but she learned that the remained of the Royal Family's closest friends had trickled in over the past few hours. Most of them were resting in their rooms, deciding to take their meals when they arrived instead of waiting for lunch time. Paya and King Sidon were the only guests that joined the Queen and Princess for lunch, which was filled with mournful silences, and the occasional tear. However, Chief Riju decided to eat when she arrived, as the cold weather had rather robbed her of her desire to socialize, much less wait to eat. General Teba, a rather stoic individual to begin with, also took his meal when he arrived, declaring that the long flight over also drained him of energy. Yunobo did not want to eat. Goron's rarely ate anyways, as they would spend hours gorging themselves on particularly 'tasty' rock, then they would be sustained potentially for days.

The funeral was set to be at twilight, as it would give everyone time to arrive, and allow the townsfolk an opportunity to finish their work early so that they might crowd the streets to offer their honest sympathies. And so, once their food had been finished, the lunch party settled on resting by the warm fire place, sharing their fond memories of the long-lost King of Hyrule.

From his exploits in battle, to his greatest jokes, they all collectively shared tears and bittersweet laughter. Many of the other leaders later joined them after their rest. They even bid Link to join them, seeing that he was the King's spiritual successor. He agreed, but stood rather stiffly near the fire place, speaking only when spoken to, keeping his responses short and proper, and never dared to sit. It seemed that was a liberty he only now took in relative privacy with the Princess, when she bid him to do so. Dinner passed just as uneventfully as lunch, and soon the much-dreaded hour came.

With one final toast, the mourning party separated, leaving the Queen, Princess, and Chosen Hero in the Inner Sanctum, where there was an ornate hearse situated. Zelda's could barely breath when she finally saw her father's body resting inside. He looked so calm, so peaceful, as if he were merely asleep and would wake up any moment with a bright smile on his face. He wore a set of armor so bright and polished that it was almost like a mirror, and on his head sat a simple but beautiful golden circlet. In life, he never did like wearing expensive crowns, as he complained they were superficial and rather heavy. He preferred simpler clothing, and would dress in clothing akin to the travel garbs he wore as a young man; ones that were made of strong material, but accented with rich colors and embroidered details. His ashen golden-gray hair was combed and kempt, and his short beard was oiled and trimmed. Even in death, and at his advanced age, he was truly a handsome man to behold.

Zelda felt like she would drown in her emotion if she steeled herself to look any longer. After she nearly collapsed and began to sob uncontrollably, Link led her to the open hatched carriage that was situated directly behind the hearse, and helped her into it. Link then helped her mother up, who immediately cradled Zelda in the hallow of her shoulder, and calmed her down. When Zelda regained her composure, they finally proceeded with the procession.

Even with the carriage and hearse in line with one another, there was still plenty of room in the expansive chamber of the Inner Sanctum, and so the procession proceeded at a pace that two detachments of Royal Guards could march to in the front and behind. Link was given a horse, so that he may ride alongside the carriage, since he was the Princesses Appointed Knight. However, more than anything, the Queen organized it that way, so that the people would not wholly despair, seeing that the next Wielder of The Sword had been chosen. Through her quelled sobs, Zelda wondered how he felt about being put on display like that. At any rate, he did not complain, nor did he show any disdain to it, but of course he was pretty good at hiding his emotion. In fact, he seemed to show little of anything at that time. For a moment, Zelda envied him, wishing that she had whatever strength it was that allowed him and her mother to remain calm and not cripple like she had. However, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to cry, and so she set her task on thinking about nothing. _Maybe that's their secret,_ she wondered despondently. _Thinking of absolutely nothing._ Thinking of nothing, she quickly found, made it even easier to think of something, and so she abandoned that tactic, and so she tried to distract herself like they had done in the Library. Even that tactic failed, as becoming distracted rather required the participant to not be aware of their distraction, and so it could not be faked.

And so, she began to sob again, as her heart felt like it would freeze and shatter inside her chest. Her only relief was her mother, who gently held her in her arm, offering her warm smiles and encouraging words. The world around them was eerily quiet. Not a bird sang, nor did anyone speak, except for Zelda's mother. As they traversed further from the Sanctum, the cold breeze made her shiver, and so she gathered her cloak around her and cozied closer to her mother. The Queen was not as warm as Link, but she did not complain. She felt undeniably safe in her arms, and Link was mere feet away ready to come to their aid in a moments notice, helmet donned and standing straight. It was a much more pleasant display than the day before when he hid the Master Sword away and sank into a pitiful state. Now he rode like a soldier in formation, tall and true.

The great iron doors that led to Castle Town swung open with a loud creak, and on the other side Zelda saw countless townsfolk all crowded along the sidewalks looking just as sad as they were. The procession moved forward, at a respectful crawl, and the townsfolk openly wept at the sight of their King. They threw down delicate flowers, and wiped tears from their swollen eyes, as they bowed and curtsied when the royal entourage passed. Guards lined the street carrying banners that bore the crest of the Royal Family, and all dipped their banners down, saluting their beloved King.

Presently, the remainder of the leaders of Hyrule fell in behind them. King Sidon and his Zora warriors. Chief Riju, and her battalion of beautiful but deadly fighters. Yunobo, and his gentle but strong brothers. Paya, of Kakariko, who brought only two guards. And finally, General Teba, who only brought his wife and children, but served as the Rito Elder's right hand since he was too old to make the trip.

They weaved through Castle Town until the came upon the southern gate, where the townsfolk were retained, so that the royal entourage could proceed in peace and solitude. Even the warriors of each respective tribe stayed, leaving only eight Hyrulean knights in total, all of which were senior ranking and highly regarded. Link was not included in that count, as he was now more than a simple Royal Guard, since he was granted the title of 'Master.' Zelda was unsure what that title officially offered him, but she knew that it was certainly greater than that of a Sergeant. However, none of that mattered at that moment.

The considerably smaller convoy maintained their southern projection until they came upon the Sacred Grounds. Four sconces held torches that burned brightly in the setting sun, offering little in the way of warmth, but did not lack in offering light. The eight Royal Guardsmen that accompanied them marched to the halted hearse, and with silent precision, began to draw out the King on a gold engraved wooden bier. They effortlessly marched to the center of the Sacred Grounds and rested the bier on a stand before kneeling and saluting their King. They then stood and turned in unison, marching forward to encircle the round dais, facing outwards at attention, swords drawn and resting point down. Nothing but danger would break them from their silent watch.

The Queen, Princess Zelda, King Sidon, Chief Riju, General Teba, Yunobo, and Master Link all ascended the stairs to the dais, where the King's lifeless body rested. The Queen strode forward first, stopping before the bier, and lightly kissed the King's forehead. She turned to face the assembly, tears in her eyes.

"On behalf of Hyrule, I thank each and every one of you for traveling from the safety of your homes to say goodbye to my husband, and your dearest friend." The Queen choked up, and a tear rolled down her cheek. Zelda, who was still holding onto Link's arm for stability began to sob softly as her body was racked with painful despair. "Words can never truly describe my grief, as I am sure words could never describe yours. Through famine, war, and numbingly cold winters we all suffered together until the bonds of brotherhood were restored. It was a unity that the King fought for with utter devotion and self-sacrifice. I think it's safe to say, that without him, we would all still be lost. It is because of the strength and courage that he brought me that I was ever able to take back my throne, and rebuild my people.

"I pray with every fiber in my being, that the unity he fought for will stand the test of time, as he is taken away from us at the time of our greatest need. I pray that the bonds of friendship that we share will only grow stronger, so that we might prosper and unite to fight back the rising evil from the sea."

King Sidon abruptly stepped forward. "And you will always receive that friendship from my people, Queen Zelda. Link was my closest friend, and I would rather die than see his legacy tarnished by the evil that ravaged this land all those years ago."

"As do we," Chief Riju added, gracefully stepping forward with unmatched exotic beauty.

"As do we, your grace," General Teba bowed. "On behalf of Elder Kaneli, we will always stand by your side."

"We do to, your grace," Yunobo blurted. "Although we may not be the best fighters, we stand with you."

Paya merely smiled, and bowed gracefully. "I think you already know my answer, your grace. The Sheikah people, are your people."

Through the blotchy tears than ran down the Queen's face, she smiled. "Thank you. That means more than the world to me." She returned to her husband's side, and gently caressed his cheek, whispering inaudibly. When her last silent goodbyes were complete, she stepped away, offering the next chance of a silent moment to Zelda.

She felt as if she were going to be sick, but she let go of Link's arm and carefully strode over. By the time she was close enough to touch him, she slumped forward and wept bitterly by her father's side, as she gently cupped his cheeks. They were so cold that it shocked her, and she could feel the cold travel up her fingers, and corrupt her body. She couldn't hold in her wailing any longer, and buried her head in the crook of his neck, muffling her uncontrollable weeping.

"Please father. Don't leave me… Please…. I need you." There was no response. She thought she hurt that morning when she woke up, but she was wrong. It felt like every muscle in her body would convulse and fail, and her stomach tied itself in knots. In that moment, even though she was surrounded by those she knew, she had never felt so alone and afraid. She felt as if she were plunged into a bottomless abyss, being swallowed by despair and darkness, and there was no saving grace, no light at the end of the tunnel. Only pain, and sorrow. After several minutes of uninterrupted weeping, she felt her mother's warm hand on her back, gesturing for her to relent.

"Come sweetheart. Into my arms." Zelda could not resist her request, and latched onto her like she was the last lifeline to pull her to safety. She continued to weep and wail until her eyes and throat ached. She was so unaware of the world around her, until she heard the soft notes of an accordion begin. She turned her head away from her mother's shoulder, and found that Kass, the tall Rito bard, had silently snuck in, and began to play a tune so soft and peaceful it felt like a lullaby. She listened for a moment longer then realized it was a lullaby, it was the family lullaby. _Zelda's Lullaby._ Through her drowning tears she looked up to her mother, who was smiling down at her with wet eyes.

"We thought that there would be no great recipient to learn that song. When Kass heard the news, he promised to play it at the funeral."

"Thank you," was all she could say with a shaken voice. The tune instantly put her at ease, and she began to sway to the slow cadence of the song. Her mother hummed along with it, and she could feel the vibration in her chest. She watched from the corner of her eye as each representative came to bid their farewells to the late King, offering salutes and words in their native tongue. To her surprise however, once everyone was done, she saw Link approach the bier.

He sank down to both knees and removed his helmet, and placed it beside him. He bent down and kissed the stone as if it were―well―sacred ground. He then removed something from around his neck, seemingly a necklace made of leather cord, and laid it down before him. She then noticed that his right-hand glove was removed, and with his left hand he drew the Master Sword with ceremoniously slow grace. Before she realized what he was even doing, he grabbed the blade with his bare hand and cut it along the palm. She cringed as he winced in pain, but he did not make a sound. He then placed the Master Sword on the ground before him, and took up the necklace, clasping it in his bloody palm, then brought it to his lips.

She now knew what it was. It was a blood-oath. She only ever read about knights performing blood-oaths in the Old Days, but had fallen from grace as it was revered as a binding contract that resulted in either success, or death, and only those two options. Blood-oaths were not taken lightly. She recalled a poem she once read, which recounted a war between two great nations that started all because one nobleman did not keep his blood-oath. _But what did he swear to do?_ she worriedly wondered. When she looked to her mother for answers, she displayed a similar worrisome expression.

With his silent oath sworn, Link placed the necklace back over his head, and tucked it under his armor. He then produced a small rag from a pack on his belt, and wrapped it around his bleeding hand, and tied it loosely, before shoving it back into his glove. He then sheathed the Master Sword, kissed the floor one last time, then stood and donned his helmet, returning to the outskirts of the dais.

"We will know in due time," her mother whispered.

The time had finally come. It was time to bury her father. Without a word, the eight Royal Guardsmen turned, draped a silk linen over the King, took up the bier, and then carried it down the southern staircase, before lowering it into a large wooden casket. _This is it,_ Zelda remarked in prayer. _You're finally going to rest father. I love you. I promise I will make you proud._ Like the closing of a door, the casket lid was closed on her father, before being lowered in a deep hole.

"Traditionally, my family would bury their dead in a tomb," the Queen explained. "But I heard on more than one occasion my husband speak of death and burial.

"'Death is not the end,' he said to me. 'It is merely the end of a cycle that is reborn. From the world we take its riches and food, we drink its water and we hunt its animals, but at the end of our lives it is our solemn duty to return to the earth, so that our bodies may fertilize and nurture the soil. All that we took from the earth will be given back, as we help the trees, flowers, and grass grow, so that they may be cut for wood, picked for elixirs and pleasure, and eaten to feed the wild game of the land so that they might grow strong and plentiful, and provide the people with meat.'"

The casket soundlessly sunk to the bottom, and the knights began shoveling dirt over the grave.

"I wish to honor that which he so strongly believed. He had always loved being in the wild, for it had provided for him in all his trials. I believe there is no greater way to honor him than to bury him where the grass grows green, and the breeze flys freely. May he rest in peace."

"And may the stars guide him," the assembly answered.

Zelda watched bittersweetly as her father was laid to rest in the way he desired, and soft dirt was honorably sprinkled onto his casket until it covered it completely. Before the knights had finished their work however, they brought forth a young sapling, no longer that a forearm, and presented it to the Queen and Princess. The Queen took it in both hands and gestured for Zelda to follow. They both knelt by the King's grave and together they planted the tree in the center.

"As his casket rots away, his body will be the fertilizer for this tree, and it will grow tall and mighty, and from it will fruits fall, so that all may eat from it, and be provided for."

Zelda felt an unexplainable peace come over her. True, she still ached for her father, but she was at peace now that she knew a part of him would always be there for them. Someday her children, and her children's children would come here when it would grow tall and strong, and provided them with loving shade and cover them, and even feed them.


	24. Return to the Citadel

**Authors notes:**

Hiya,

Sorry for the slightly longer delay than normal. Now that Christmas is approaching, both work and school are increasing tenfold. Next week I will be picking up and additional two college classes, and I've got some good work lined up. This will definitely make it harder to post chapters as often, so I apologize in advance. Still, keep and eye out, and I'll pump 'em out to you all as soon as they're ready. Anyways, as always thank you so so much for all of the generous reviews. I exuberantly await to receive them after every entry. _Shout out to Flaxere_ who almost always has something great to say.

Also. If you go to Diviant Art and look up 'WrittenInBold12' you can take a look at the cover art I made for this story. It was my third photoshop project, so it is by no means perfect, but I'm relatively proud of it and thought to share it so you guys can see it a little better.

Enjoy!

- **Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter twenty-four, Return to the Citadel_

Link's palm hurt a lot more than he expected it to, but it made it all the more real and important to him. Only death would come between him and completing his goal now. To break his blood-oath would be to fall on his own sword. It did not matter if his shield-brothers were to spit in his face, and torment him. If they wanted to call him an imposter, so be it, but he would rather suffer the most painful death, or be tortured and brutalized, than fail again. While the Master Sword on his back was lighter than a feather, it was heavier burden to him than a led weight. He never could shake the nagging sense that he was not truly worthy of it, but the Queen convinced him that no matter what, it was his responsibility now, and so he made peace with it―or at least tried to make peace with it.

He proposed to himself that instead of worrying about his own inadequacies, he would focus on―or attempt to focus on―determining how he would set right all that he witnessed go wrong, but that proved to be no simple task. However, his blood-oath required him to do everything in his power to set things right, so he left it at that. He imagined there would be no real reward for success. Maybe a pat on the back for a job well done and eternal gratefulness, or at best a tangible reward like land or gold, but those rewards did not matter to or interest him. He swore himself to service, honor bound to fulfill his role, with or without compensation.

He dared to think that there was only one reward in the world that would mean anything to him anymore, but that was a fool's desire, and so he scoffed at his own ridiculousness.

 _You really are pathetic,_ the voice told him. _You must be senseless to even think that could ever be._

 _Yeah, I know,_ he replied miserably.

His father's necklace hung around his neck again, and served as a constant reminder of his blood-oath. It's leather cord was stained red in many parts, having soaked up his blood, but he did not mind. It was something he could look at every day and be reminded of his oath to the late King. The small carved lamb that hung on it was still smooth as ever, and a night he would hold it in his fingers, and feel the fine details of it before passing into sleep. ' _Little Lamb.'_ That is what his father used to call him. It was the nickname his mother gave him when he was born. Before she passed the necklace along to his father, she used to wear it to remind her of the life she once had as a simple shepherd on her parents' farm in Hateno Village before she fell in love with his father, then married him and moved to Castle Town; or at least, that's how his father explained it to him. Gerald never really talked about his mother very much, and when he did it was usually rather brief. However, since the necklace came to pass to him, it would serve as a constant reminder of his responsibilities, and by proxy his abject dishonor if he were to fail.

 _Little Lamb,_ he repeated to himself. However, he could not be a little lamb anymore. He had to be a fierce wolf, ready to do whatever was necessary to succeed and survive. Yet, unlike a wolf, he would instead protect the sheep and little lambs of the world, even if they despised him for being a wolf. Even if they cried his name in anger, and shunned him, calling him a murderer or an imposter sent to steal from them, he would remain true to his purpose, even if that meant failure and death.

He left early in the morning the day after the funeral, and took time to visit the King's grave to make his peace. A lone sentinel was posted nearby to ensure poachers did not disturb his rest, but he was a kind enough gentleman to allow people to come and mourn. The guard, however, seemed very displeased by Link's presence. Apparently, the rumors had already spread about what happened at the Citadel, as the large detachment of Cavalrymen that had escorted him and the Princess back from the Citadel were all telling their comrades what transpired from their partial point of view, no doubt pitting the castle guards against him. The guard never said anything to him though, and so he did not bother questioning it. What good would it have done anyways?

Link never thought to explain to the Princess of his discovery with the Faronish people, as they were too busy with the funeral the day before. Besides, he had already received blessing from the Queen to travel back to the Citadel and take Drodvaltol to Damel Forest, and so he figured he would let the Queen explain his absence to the Princess once she awoke. He imagined she would be able to explain the situation better anyways. He hoped that Zelda would not be upset with him for not telling her, but in all honesty, he was afraid she would insist on coming with him. That would have been a big issue for many reasons. For starters, he did not feel comfortable dragging her back out into the wild so soon after her father's death, not to mention the immense danger that she would be in. Link would have had to prepare a mobile detachment of soldiers to accompany them for her safety, and he knew he would be much faster if he could ride alone. And in addition to all that, he would then have to worry about protecting the Princess, all while wrangling a dangerous prisoner. There was just too much that could gone wrong, and so he settled on not mentioning his departure to Zelda, for everyone's convenience. Again, he prayed that the Queen would be able to convince Zelda of that truth, so that when he returned she would understand his reasoning for leaving her behind on such an important errand that would point them in the right direction of the destiny they now shared.

 _Zelda,_ he thought longingly. He reminisced on the moment of peace between them in the Library the day before. Even with everything that had happened―all of the horrible sights they endured―Link felt at peace when he was reading whimsical poems with her, all alone in the Library, with nothing to distract him from her beauty, and unmatched compassion. And yet, his mind felt utterly betrayed by his heart. In a twisted and ironic way, it hurt to feel good. It hurt because he knew that at the end of that tunnel, however nice it might have been in that moment, it would only end in pain for both of them. He was a knight. She was a princess. That is all it was, and should have ever been. Once his purposed had been used up, once his strength wavered and withered with age, he would be released from service, and retire an old and useless man. He was a weapon against darkness now; and a reluctant and incapable one at that. Weapons could only grow weaker with use, to the verge of breaking. And so, victory or defeat, he would someday die or be cast aside once he had nothing else to offer his kingdom. He had no noble title, he had no land, and no trade other than swordsmanship. He only had his body and mind to give in selfless service, and once that was depleted, he would only be dead weight―literally, or metaphorically.

What did it matter though? Surely he would fail, no matter how hard he would try. Surely he would never have the chance to grow old, as he would die at Ganon's hand in the darkest hour, and so in a despairing way, he did not have to worry about his future. It was a grim and warped comfort, one that made his stomach churn. Still, he was blood-sworn to do his best, so he might as well try to make the best impact he could, and pray beyond prayer that it would be enough. Unfortunately, somewhere deep inside himself he knew that he would never be enough. Maybe he had an inkling of hope when the Queen spoke to him, and assured him of his destiny, but now that he was alone in the wild again, the doubt seeped back into his core and threatened to swallow him whole.

He was smart enough to know exactly why Zelda read him to poem about the Hero of Time and his exploits of conquering self-doubt. And perhaps he believed that there was hope for himself for even a brief moment, but that hope too was swallowed in his loneliness. Zelda wanted to help him dismiss his reservations, and accept some fanciful notion of his own adequacy, but how could he even dare to compare himself to the Heroes of old? The Hero of Time had slain three great lumbering, nightmare-inducing monsters before he even turned eleven. Of course it would be easy for the Hero of Time to conquer his doubts, he was more a hero as a child than Link ever was, or could ever hope to be. Even his King and spiritual predecessor awoke with no memory after one-hundred years of sleep, and yet he found his way back to the Master Sword and pulled it from its pedestal, and fought off the Calamity. Even if the King nearly died the first time around, he was given a second chance, and he proved his worth beyond measure. Link, however, did not have the liberty of a second chance, as the Shrine of Resurrection was inactive and unusable. He had one shot, and one shot only. Countless stories and legends of his predecessors flashed in his mind―success after success―and yet, he was wholly convinced that he would be the first true failure among them. The fear was crippling at times, and it seemed to press and fade in his mind like the tides on a beach. One moment he would be fine, then the next he would lurch in fear, anger, or self-hatred… Sometimes all three at once.

Worse than that however, was when he thought of how his failure would affect Zelda. His heart throbbed with fear in his chest, and he began to breath heavily. Would she die because of his failure? Normally, he would think that he would rather die than fail her like that, but even death would mean failing her. He was trapped in a horrifying corner, where only success could keep her safe, and anything besides absolute perfection would result in the end of everything he held dear. One misstep, and everyone would suffer, all because of him. No wonder everyone hated him, or would grow to hate him. He was a herald of doom, cursed to fail and disappoint.

 _This is a fucking cruel world,_ he cursed to the creators before stirring himself from his troubled mind. He inhaled forcefully, and tried to expel his darkening thoughts. _How quickly my mind changes… I can't even hold onto my own determination and promises without hyperventilating like a coward._ He feared that even taking a blood-oath would now not be enough to fight off his cowardice; cowardice that took the place of his desire for stoicism. His brain felt like a jumbled hot mess, and he did not know what to do and think. He would feel one way in a moment, then feel the complete opposite in another. How was he supposed to keep his head screwed on right if he could not even make simple decisions or discernments?

"Damnit!" he cursed loudly. It echoed of the rock face far to his left, and the few birds that chirped nearby fell silent. As if pulled from a dream, he realized where he was, and where he needed to go. _I need to focus. I'm easy pickings for anyone who wanted to jump me if I can't even pay attention to the road._

The wind blew harder than the day before, and began to tear down all the brightly colored red and orange leaves from the trees. Luckily, Link already anticipated it only growing colder as the weeks would continue, and so he packed extra warm clothes and wool and fur cloak. One of the laundry maids had brought him a new blue tunic to wear, since his last one had been torn and bloodied, and so he wore that, in addition to a thick undershirt and travel pants along with his leather pauldrons and vambraces. It was the perfect combination of comfort, warmth, and functionality. His horses saddle bag was packed tightly, since he also included a warm cloak for his prisoner―he need him alive, not frozen after all.

He rather missed Zeno, as the horse he now rode was rather skittish, but he had to leave him at the Citadel since his hind leg was injured from an arrow. He promised that he would come back for him once he was healed, so that he could ditch his current mount and travel with his faithful steed. However, it could not be helped for the time being, and so he just kept his horse at a steady canter, making excellent time to the Citadel. That paired with the fact that he left long before the sun ever rose, he was on course to be at the Citadel gates by mid-afternoon.

Sure enough, as he hoped, his trip went without a hitch, and he arrived at the Citadel a few hours after lunch time. He did not break for lunch however. He ate while on horseback, munching down on nutrient packed wafers that the castle baker made him. He packed enough food for four days, given that he rationed it equally between him and Drodvaltol―which he considered being a little less than generous in splitting it. Anything they lacked, he would hunt and scavenge for in Faron and Damel Forest.

"Oi! State your business," cried out the gateman as Link came upon the south gateway which had been hastily―and rather sloppily―cleared and built up so that it at least offered some protection.

"I'm on business for the crown," he replied, holding out a small scroll signed by the Queen. The guard did a double take, and glanced at The Sword he carried. It felt as warm as ever on his back. With a rather nasty sneer the guard stepped forward and snatched the scroll from his hand and read it with a plethora of grunts and 'hmm's.'

"Looks like the Queen didn't seem to mind your little―escapade the other day," he remarked with a glare. "I'm honestly surprised to see you back."

"Am I free to enter?" Link asked impatiently.

"I suppose." The guard turned and shouted to his comrades to open the gate, which was nothing more than a makeshift wooden patch that had to be drug open by several men. "You better watch yourself in there Mister eh―Link. I don't think anyone in there shares the same forgiving nature that the Queen does." The gateman's tone took on a rather satirical and belittling air when he spoke his name.

"Yeah. I know," he grunted sourly, lightly tapping the scab on his brow with his finger. "What's the status of the invaders?" he quickly asked before proceeding.

"They've packed up and left on the sea. Disappeared just as quick as they came. Although they left a number of them canons."

Link only nodded, then spurred his horse forward. Just as he had left two days prior, his reentry was met with harsh glowers and squinted eyes. Some men even spat on the ground near to him, but no one said anything. It appeared Commander Nell's explaining had not softened their hatred for Link one bit.

 _Guess you can't tell someone how to feel._ He did not shrink under their gaze as he had before, but it did not hurt any less, being the Knight of Scorn. He imagined it would be a fruitless effort to blend in, but he drew his hood over his head, hoping to divert at least some attention. He searched the crowd for Jonathan, or Commander Nell, so that he might speak with a familiar face, but he did not find either out in the cold air of the open grounds. He led his horse to the stables and handed the reins off to the stable boy and instructed him keep his horse saddled and ready to go, promising he would be back shortly.

"You the guy that led the Cavalry?" the boy asked plainly. Link instantly recognize him; it was the stable boy that had brought him a horse when he was disguised as the King. In a sense, he could not really call him a _boy_ as he was likely not much younger than himself, but he was still certainly a knight-in-training.

"Yes," he replied curtly. The boy curled his nose and frowned in a way that made Link feel tinged with guilt, but did not say anything else.

With his horse situated, Link entered the Keep, still looking for Commander Nell, or even Lord Aron. To his surprise it was actually Jonathan that he found first.

"Jonathan," he shouted. Jonathan shot up from his work and searched for the voice's bearer.

"I wondered when I would see you again," he replied with a smile before jogging over and embraced Link. "Hylia alive," he whispered. "You would not believe all the rumors I've been trying to dissuade. It's been a constant battle."

"I can't thank you enough Jonathan. It put my heart to rest to know you didn't hate me like the others."

"Hate you," he scoffed with a brutish grin. "I could never! I know that no matter what, you would never do anything as awful as all that. I trust you through and through. You're my bother. My shield-brother." Jonathan finally let go from his tight hug. "So, its official? You're the next Chosen Hero?"

"It looks like it," he sighed. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"And the King?"

"Laid to rest. With honor."

Jonathan sighed with somber relief. "May the stars guide him." They nodded in solemn agreeance. "So what brings you around this time?" he asked after a brief pause, returning to his cheery self.

"I'm on orders from the Queen to take one of the prisoners to someone who can translate what he's saying."

Jonathan pursed his lips in a grin. "Sounds like some serious stuff there _Master Link,"_ he remarked jestingly.

The title made him wince inwardly, but he did not show it. "Indeed. And you're coming with me." Jonathan's jaw dropped for a moment, and his eyes lit up, utterly shocked and bewildered.

"You're pulling my leg," he exclaimed, with a half gape, half smile.

"I swear I'm not." He held out the scroll to him. "Here. You can read it yourself. I am to select a capable travel companion from the Citadel to ensure the prisoner is secure at all points." Jonathan snatched the rolled-up parchment hastily, and scrutinized every line. "I can't exactly have a night watch if there's only me, I would never get any sleep. This job needs two men to be done correctly. And there is no better man for the job than you," he added with a smile.

"You're shittin' me! You and me, out an about, just like old times?"

"Well, we'll be hard at work I assure you," he said with a laugh. "You will of course need to pack your own food and gear as soon as possible, as I only packed enough food for me and the prisoner. We're leaving as soon as I clarify with Commander Nell or Lord Aron."

"Are you quite certain, Link? I have a ton of work to do here," he tried to argue.

"It's the Queen's orders. I am to choose who accompanies me. And I choose you, work or no work to do."

Jonathan's smile only grew larger, as he extended out his arm and grab Link's forearm, firmly shaking it when Link returned the favor. "Then I'm your man, Link. Besides, I've gotten tired of hearing the men bitch and moan about this and that. I could use some fresh air."

"I'm sure you could." Link produced a second roll of parchment from his belt pack, and traded it with the one in Jonathan's hand. "Here's a copy of the written order from the Queen explaining that you are to come with me. Take it to your superior and explain the situation. Once you're done, I want you to pack up some food that will last you about three days travel, and then get suited up in your travel gear. Then meet me at the stables with two horses. Speed is of the essence, Understood?"

"Yes sir," he replied with a humorous grin.

"Do you know where Lord Aron or Commander Nell might be?" he asked before Jonathan turned away enthusiastically.

"I saw Commander Nell not too long ago heading to the War Room. You might try there."

"Thanks. See you in a bit."

Link was eager to get on with it, especially with how much his comrades looked down at him loathsomely. Every corner he turned only brought more faces that contorted and glared at him, but none of them ever confronted him. However, that did not stop him from watching his back and checking his corners so that he would be ready to defend himself at any moment in case anyone got any ideas about roughing him up. He absentmindedly stroked the rough scab on his brow, remembering the painful metal knuckles that broke the skin with ease. _Not again,_ he swore.

It was a relatively short walk to the War Room, and as Jonathan had predicted, Commander Nell was inside. Link had to show the Queen's order before the guard let him in, but when he did he was surprised to find that Lord Aron was also present.

"You're back early," Lord Aron remarked, still leaning on his cane.

"Indeed. I have orders from the Queen, my lord." He quickly slid the parchment across the table after bowing, and Lord Aron unraveled it, carefully reading its contents. Once he was done he passed it to Commander Nell, who buried his nose into it.

"So you are the Master Sword's proper carrier now huh?" Lord Aron asked as he sat down.

"Seems so, my lord," Link answered begrudgingly, as he attempted to bury his apprehension, seemingly with some success. Lord Aron only nodded listlessly.

"Who is the soldier you've chosen to take with you?" Commander Nell asked without taking his eyes off the paper.

"Sergeant Jonathan, sir. He was one of my closest friends back in Castle Town, and is a fierce and dedicated warrior."

"Yes. I know him. Captain Morint said that he was an outstanding trainee. Have you already contacted him?"

"Yes Commander. He is preparing as we speak."

Lord Aron cleared his throat before he budded in. "Commander Nell told me all about your interrogation with eh―Drod… Drodvaton?"

"Drodvaltol, my lord."

"Ah. And you say this―Caretaker of Faron will be able to translate his language?" His voice was tinged with skepticism, but it seemed like a healthy amount skepticism to Link, and not the arrogant cynicism he usual spoke in.

"Yes, my lord."

"I can't say I believe in all this 'fairy tale' nonsense, but the Queen seems confident in your claim. I'll have Commander Nell go with you to the dungeons, just in case the guards try to give you trouble."

"Thank you, my lord," he said with a generous bow.

"One last thing, Master Link." It felt strange to hear Lord Aron refer to him by that title. "The King's funeral. How was it?"

"The King is at peace, my lord. All the tribes of Hyrule expressed their grief and offered their loyalty at his passing."

"May the stars guide him…"

"May the stars guide him," Link repeated solemnly.

"Well. I won't keep you from your duty. You may go."

Link bowed again and thanked Lord Aron before leaving the War Room with Commander Nell by his side.

"So they really just disappeared without a trace, Commander?" Link asked as they walked at a brisk pace.

"Their ships travel with otherworldly speed. There's foul play going on. Whatever those specters are, they possess some evil and dark magic."

Link nodded gravely. "I'm more afraid of the master that has not shown himself. Whatever they are, they answer to Ganon."

"How can you be so sure? How do we know it's not just some evil wizard or witch?"

"Because they came here with one goal in mind; to murder the King. They waited until he arrived to show themselves, content with using their invasion force as cannon fodder; nothing more than a distraction. They wanted the bearer of the Master Sword dead as soon as possible. I don't know if they knew that I would take it up in his stead, but I fear that they―or he―has much darker things planned. However, I must admit that I have the sneaking suspicion that they wanted me to carry the Master Sword instead." _Perhaps they knew I could carry it, but would ultimately be a failure. Maybe they know the truth that the Queen does not…_ It was a frightening thought, so he dismissed it.

Commander Nell considered his words with a serious frown. "What makes you think that?"

"I'm not sure… It's just a feeling I get…"

"Perhaps its divine providence," the Commander suggested. "You've been chosen by The Sword, haven't you? It is the weapon created by Hylia herself, before she assumed a mortal form. Perhaps it is warning you."

The Commanders insightful suggestion admittedly surprised Link, even if he was inclined to disagree. "That certainly seems possible. I haven't thought of it that way before. Perhaps you're right," he said evasively.

"I guess there's no way to know for sure until something happens."

"That's why I'm hoping we can learn something from one of the prisoner. Maybe they can point us in the right direction."

"Do you think they will actually tell you anything?" the Commander asked skeptically. "They may be more docile than before, but I can't imagine they would just tell you their every secret."

"I didn't think they would, Commander. However, the Caretaker has the ability to peer into people's minds if she comes into contact with them. Whether he likes it or not, we will learn everything he knows." The Commander chuckled lightly, which confused Link quite a bit. "What, Commander?"

"You're much more confident than last time we spoke. I'm just glad to see it," the Commander added with a smile. It certainly was not the response Link expected. Link knew it was not confidence, but a high tide of determination, a brief moment where he had a goal. Then again, maybe not. Link could not decide. At any rate, he at least knew what his next step was, and that is all he could hope for; putting one foot ahead of the other, taking it one step at a time.

They did not talk much after that until the finally descended into the dungeons. It was terribly cold in the damp and dark cells, and the prisoners looked haggard and dirty, but they still seemed relatively healthy.

"Drodvaltol," Link commanded. The prisoners all looked at each other in bewilderment. "Drodvaltol," he repeated, a little sterner. Soon, Drodvaltol emerged from the corner of the cell, looking like he just awoke from a nap.

"Ji?"

Commander Nell motioned for the guard to unlock the cell, and pull Drodvaltol from it. The prisoner only struggled a little, but eventually he came peacefully. Iron shackles were clasped around his wrists, and Link was given the key, which he hung on a chain around his neck, and then tucked it beneath his clothing. With a firm grip he led Drodvaltol out of the dungeon by the arm.

"Bra-tava, unt Feronit-viyle," Drodvaltol shouted over his shoulder to his brethren.

"Bra-tava," the assembly responded in despondent and weak voices.

"I guess 'bra-tava' means goodbye in their tongue," Commander Nell remarked as he followed Link.

"You're probably right."

Link was glad to find that Drodvaltol did not fight against his restraints. _If we're lucky, he won't give us any problems... I still don't understand how they can go from blood-thirsty madmen to this._ Commander Nell must have been right. There was some dark magic at play. Why else would the Faronish people sail back over the sea and set fire to the country side? It was an impossible question to answer, given how little information they had. They would know in due time.

Jonathan was already waiting at the stables for him by the time they emerged from the Keep. The Knights of Hyrule were very proficient at packing their saddle bags, as it was a task they performed religiously during training. And so, in what could not have been more than an hour, Jonathan was already packed up, dressed, and ready to go, with two horses, and Link's horse tied off and nearby. He greeted Link with a smart smile, which he quickly hid away, so that they could set about doing their very serious duty. A gust of wind blew through and torn at his clothing which reminded Link how cold it was outside, seeing Drodvaltol immediately begin to shiver and shy away from the wind. He had Jonathan pull the extra cloak from his saddle bag, and hung it around Drodvaltol, who seemed genuinely grateful.

"Do you need anything else, Master Link?" the Commander asked.

 _Goddess. Is it really necessary for them to call me that?_

 _It's your title now, you should accept it willingly…_

 _A title you're not worthy of…_

"No. Thank you Commander. I will return in a few days, with Drodvaltol, or I'll send Jonathan in my stead, and then we will let you know everything we learn." Link dismissed the argument in his head with a miserable indignation. The Commander clapped Link on the shoulder and smiled warmly.

"Very well. Best of luck."

"Thank you, Commander."

While Jonathan held the horse, Link helped the restrained prisoner up onto its back, and shackled him to the saddle via a metal loop. To ensure he would not try to escape on horseback, they opted to lead his horse by a rope attached to its leather bridal, so that Drodvaltol would have no control or say over where the horse went. They decided that Link would take the lead, since he had the most travel experience, and knew where they were going, and Jonathan would ride beside the prisoner, to keep a very close eye on him. With their last-minute adjustments made, they set out through the southern gate, eager to get onto the road.

"Just like we used to talk about doing, huh, Link?" Jonathan asked with a toothy grin. "Traveling the wilds like a duo of brave adventurers." Link chuckled lightly, feeling rather lighthearted now that he had his best friend by his side.

"Yeah. Although, I don't think we accounted of dragging around Drodvaltol," Link retorted with a dubious smile.

"Drodva-who?" Jonathan asked perplexedly.

"Drodvaltol. That's his name."

"Hylia alive," Jonathan laughed. "What mother in her right mind would name their child 'Drodvaltol?' I can barely say it right."

"How would I know?" he shot back. "Maybe we can just give him a nickname. What about Drod?" Jonathan pursed his lips for a moment, pondering the proposition.

"I think that seems like a fair change." He then turned to look at Drod and asked: "What do you think huh? Drod?"

"Drodvaltol," the Faronish man corrected, thinking that he mispronounced his name. Jonathan roared with laughter.

"I don't think he likes it very much," he stated cheerily, but then his voice took a rather abrupt and harsh turn. "But then again, you should have thought about that before you came and burned our towns, and murdered our people. I think I'll call you whatever I well please." It was a rare sight to see Jonathan angry, but Link understood his irritation, and bore no judgment against him. However, he found it harder to be mad a Drod than the other savages. Drod was so unlike the invaders they fought against days prior―he seemed like a completely different breed of man all together. Even his eyes were a silvery-grey, and not black. Perhaps they were all under some evil mind control, and whenever Link cut off that strange amulet that the blue-flamed specter wore, it freed them from the spell, and allowed them to return to their peaceful ways. It was a rather unpleasant thought. What if they had killed thousands of innocent men who had no control over what they were doing?

It made Link shiver. What if they could control his own comrades? What if the specters could corrupt the knights of Hyrule, and turn them against each other? Only reaching MiarindÍl would answer those questions now, and so Link set out at a very brisk pace, feeling rather rushed and melancholy. For the first hour or so of travel, Link and Jonathan remained relatively quiet, as they were busy keeping a very close eye to the east and west, fearful that some band of warriors would ambush them, or that the specters would return from the sky. However, nothing happened, and so after they settled down a little, they began to resume their usual brotherly banter.

"So, Mister Hero. I imagine all of the lovely ladies will come flocking to you by the droves now that you're such an important and distinguished individual."

Link scoffed at the absurd notion, almost as if it were a belittling joke. "I rather doubt that," he started. Although, the longer he thought about it, the gloomier he became. "Rumors about me were already passing around among the guards at Hyrule Castle. I think before long, no one will want anything to with me, once they learn what happened at the Citadel."

"Surely not!" Jonathan insisted. "Judging by her firmly worded writing, the Queen trusts you entirely. Surely once people see that the Queen is not angry with you, they will dispel these ridiculous rumors!"

Link shrugged his shoulders, and shifted in his saddle. "A lot of good that's done at the Citadel," he responded curtly.

"That's because they haven't even gotten a chance to read her declaration," Jonathan replied with an encouraging smile. "Give it a few weeks, and I'm sure people will ease up."

"I hope you're right," Link sighed with a brooding expression. "While I wouldn't let it stop me from doing my job, it would be kind of nice to _not_ be the most hated knight in Hyrule."

 _It's what you deserve._

 _What in the world makes you say that?_

 _Just shut up already, I'm tired of hearing about!_

Jonathan nodded slightly. "I can understand that. At any rate, however, if all the stories and legends are true, whether people like it or not, your success is their success. So, they better wise up, and quit whining." A great beaming smile stretched across his mouth.

Link could not help but laugh lightly. "Goddess I wish I had your optimism sometimes."

"It's a skill any man can learn, my boy. It's all just how you look at it." Jonathan then cleared his throat before continuing. "Besides. The women really do like an optimist, at least in my experience."

"You make it sound like you're a great poetic lover old, destined to swooned over. I seem to recall a time when you were too afraid to talk to girls." Link tried to suppress his grin, but it did not work very well in his favor.

"Yet another skill any man can learn," he replied with a debonair smile and a slight wink. "At least I tried as a boy. You were always content with just running around and exploring, not a care in the world, and not a pretty lady to be 'swooned over,' as you say."

"What can I say? It just was never that important to me, especially at that age."

"And what about now? Does the fabled Hero deem it important now?" he asked jestingly. Link's chest grew a little hot and constricted when he thought about Zelda, as he knew the answer was a resounding and despondent 'yes.' However, he remastered his composure and pressed it from his mind, with the help of the mean-spirited voice in his head.

"I think I have too much on my plate as is to even think about that right now," he said evasively.

"Yes. Ariel wrote something similar," Jonathan said plainly. Link looked at him, worriedly shocked.

 _Ariel told him about us?_ Link cleared his throat to explain, but Jonathan just grinned kindly and waved his hand.

"Don't worry about it. I completely understand. Ariel can sometimes―advance without forethought. After she wrote to me a month or so ago expressing her concerns towards your evasions, especially after you were appointed, I told her that you may not want to pursue that kind of relationship. I think she took it pretty well, at least from what I could read, and wanted to apologize if she put you in a difficult position."

Link felt guilty after Jonathan related it all to him. He felt guilty for actively avoiding Ariel, even though she merely sought to apologize. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, and I didn't know how to handle it. So, I just avoided it as much as I could."

"All is well, my friend. I know it's hard to handle these types of things when you care about the people involved. Like I said, I think she handled it well. She even wrote to me recently saying that your father's former apprentice has been spending a little time with her. She says that he is a very kind and good hearted young man, and she thinks he might fancy her, but she has not been too quick to move forward. Not yet."

That made Link feel a little better. At least he knew Eric was there to pick up the mess he made. "I might have egged Eric on a little, as he certainly does fancy her. He was a bit shy, so I encouraged him. But he is a good kid though, and has been serving as a sort of surrogate-landlord for me, seeing to the upkeep of my father's house, as well as continuing his business."

Jonathan chuckled a little. "You call him a kid. You realize he's not much younger than you are, right?"

"I feel a lot older," Link replied, mimicking the way an old man with no teeth would sound. Jonathan's head reeled back, and he roared with laughter.

"Goddess, I've missed you Link!" Jonathan laughed again. "Although, you do seem much older now. Far older than seventeen. I think the stress has been taking a toll on you. I bet you'll have grey hairs by the time you're twenty if you keep up this pace."

"You're probably right. If I even make it to twenty that is," he joked, although it turned bitter and ashen on his tongue.

"See that's what I mean, Link! If you want to be an optimist like me, then you can't be saying such morbid things! Of course you'll live to be twenty. Shit, why not live till you're one-hundred? It's all about how you look at life."

Link's grin immediately furrowed and dissipated when a horrid thought came to his mind, seemingly from nowhere. _That poor Gerudo girl didn't even get the chance to make it to ten…_

"Hey, you good?" Jonathan asked quietly when he saw Link's sudden change in demeanor.

"Yeah… Sorry. Just remembered something I'd rather not think about right now."

Jonathan's head titled slightly, but he did not press him for details. Without saying anything, Jonathan knew exactly what he was feeling. Link knew that Jonathan would be there for him the second he needed him, but at that moment, there was not time to deal with such heavy emotions. _Is this what life is going to be like from now on? Every good moment ruined and haunted by the past? Haunted by impending doom?_ He rolled his shoulders and stirred himself from his depressing thoughts before changing subjects.

"So what about you? Any ladies catch your fancy?"

"Well," Jonathan dragged out with a smile. "There's certainly not many eligible women in the Citadel, however I have met with one of the handmaidens―really the only one―at the manor. She's a sweet girl, and a hard worker." His grin grew larger. "Although she seems a little impervious to my incredible charm."

"You know. I might have met her when I was there last." Link grinned mischievously. "I seem to recall she said I was a rather 'fair' man to look at."

"Well I'll be damned. You've made more progress in one visit than I have in weeks of trying!"

Link chuckled. "Well I always was your better-looking half," he said jokingly.

"You _would_ be blessed with a much more handsome face, even though you never use it for your benefit. Makes me green with envy," he said with amused mockery.

"Well you're certainly not ugly, my friend. Maybe you're just not her type," he suggested.

"Yes, well she certainly is _my_ type, so I'm determined to try anyways. What's the worst that can happen? She could just say no, and I would move on. No harm, no foul."

 _Goddess I wish it were that easy ̶ ._ He cut himself off before he finished that thought, fearing the path it would go down. "Well best of luck to you."

"Thanks," he exclaimed before starting into his next line of energetic questions. "So, who is this translator we're meeting?"

"Her name is MiarindÍ, she lives in Damel Forest."

"Damel Forest!?"

"Yep. It's completely safe now, as all of the monster that infested it have fled or died."

"So the rumors are true? It's finally safe enough to inhabit again? People have been saying that someone cleared it out, but most of us didn't believe it."

Link grinned, wetting his lips to begin recounting the long story of everything that happen in Damel Forest. "You'd better get comfortable. I've got a rather lengthy… story to tell you."

Jonathan's brows perked, but he childishly adjusted himself in his saddle with over exaggerated movements to signal that he was ready to hear the 'lengthy story.' Link began by recounting how he was sent to Faron for his survival trail, explaining his fight with the Lynel in gruesome detail, even flashing some of the scars he received, then he described the first time he met MiarindÍl. Jonathan's eyes were genuinely wide open, and his jaw hung a little loose, but he did not doubt Link's story. He instead soaked up every detail like a child listening to a bedtime story, often stopping him to clarify particular aspects or to ask questions. From there, he explained everything that happened when he and the Princess returned, choosing to omit any parts that he deemed a little too 'personable,' as he did not want Jonathan to suspect that there was―or once was―anything between other than a professional working relationship. Link then explained how MiarindÍl taught him the Faronish word for the sea, which was how he learned that Drodvaltol was Faronish during his interrogation.

"I would say this was all lucky coincidence, but seeing that you are the Chosen Hero, I guess fate had something to do with it. I think you were meant to meet Miarinde."

"MiarindÍl," he corrected.

"What is with these Faronites and their damned unpronounceable names!?"

"You can just call her the Caretaker," Link laughed. "She answers to both just fine."

Jonathan took a deep breath, still calculating the overload of information he was given. "I still can't believe you actually killed a Lynel. Those things had passed into legend after they were hunted down and killed. It usually took up to ten men to take one down, especially the gold and silver ones. But you managed to do it all by yourself!"

"Well. I would have most certainly died had MiarindÍl not saved me. Like you said, it must have been fate." _Or blind luck. What does it matter at this point?_

"I must admit, I never thought those old fairy tales about the ancient Caretakers were true, but I look forward to meeting her!"

Even though it didn't seem like it, hours had passed while they kept a steady pace on their horses. Drod had no complaints, not that they would have cared or understood him anyways, but he was cooperative and peaceful, so they ignored him for the most part. The sun had begun to set, and so they decided to stop and make camp while they still had light. To save for time, they had cut through the Lanayru Wetlands, which had finally been made crossable again by a network of thin but sturdy bridges and walkways. From there, they had made their way south and crossed Eagus Bridge, which brought them to a little body of water called Batrea Lake; which was more like a glorified pond.

They set up camp next to the lake, and set about refilling their waterskins and building a fire, all while keeping a close and calculated watch on Drod, who was chained to a nearby tree. Once their fire was made, and their bed rolls unfurled, they sat and ate their supper, which consisted of wafers, and a few apples that Jonathan had scavenged nearby. Link unlocked one of Drod's wrist restraints so that he could have one free hand to eat, which he did greedily. Before Link and Jonathan had even finished half of their wafers, Drod had downed the whole thing, and was picking the crumbs from his beard.

"Sasherav," he asked earnestly. Link threw him a spare waterskin, and watched as he guzzled the whole thing.

"Hylia alive," Jonathan cursed. "They must not have been giving them very much water or food in the dungeons."

"Can't say I blame them," Link remarked. Even if Drod was peaceful, he was still the enemy; the enemy that murdered hundreds of innocent townsfolk. Link found that his hatred towards him and his people wavered and teetered often. Sometimes he would look at Drod with a small amount of pity, as he truly seemed like a peaceful man, and then other times he wanted punch him square in the nose just to feel better. The more he thought about it, the more his passing indifference faded. Another topic to add to his list of 'I don't know how to feel about this half the time.'

"I'll take the first watch. You've been traveling a lot more than me, so you should get some rest."

Link chuckled. "You don't have to tell me twice," he remarked, rubbing his tired thighs. He curled up under his heavy wool blanket next to the fire after throwing a spare one to Drod, and tucked the Master Sword in the crook of his arm, protecting it like a priceless heirloom.

"Gelkta," he said softly. Link assumed it meant 'thank you.'

 _Pleasantries coming from a savage. What kind of world are we living in now?_ Jonathan sat down on a log they had pulled near the fire, and began to hone his sword with a whetstone. The soft grinding noise was nostalgic for Link as he was transported back to simpler times when he was just a young boy, training to become a knight. An innocent boy, before the whole world came crushing down on his shoulders. Long before his whole future was plunged into darkness and unknowing.

"Jonathan?" he asked in an almost whisper.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think you'll do once you retire from the army?" Jonathan seemed to notice Link's serious, almost sad tone, and responded in an equally serious, yet optimistic voice.

"Well. I would like to think I could become a farmer. Mother said that before father passed, he wanted nothing more than for me to take up his business, but we couldn't afford to hold onto the land, so we had to sell it… I know this and that about agriculture, and I think I could manage a few acres. I'd settle down, marry, have a few kids, and teach them the trade, or encourage them to become knights like their papa." A kind and hopeful smile stretched across his lips. "What about you?"

Link sighed. "I don't know. I guess I could try to be a blacksmith, but I never learned the trade very well." He shifter rather uncomfortably under his blanket with a sense of dread and hopelessness on his heart. "Maybe I could buy a little plot of land in the middle of nowhere, build a little house, and live the rest of my days in peace and quiet seclusion… keep out of everyone's hair… If I even make it past this war."

Jonathan's grin shot downward, and he rested his whetstone on his knee. "Link," he started sternly. "You're going to make it just fine. I know you will. I will not stand idly by as you piss away any hopes of a happy future for yourself. You of all people deserve a happy life. You deserve a loving woman, and children, someone you can call family. You don't deserve to be rejected and sentenced to live your life as a hermit."

"I'm an outcast, Jonathan. My comrades at the Citadel spit at my feet and curse my name, and soon my hometown will be just the same. Once my job is complete, if I even succeed, I will be a tool with no purpose. Sure, I can serve the military for as long as possible, until my bones ache and creak, but who would even want me around?" _Everyone except her. But I can't even have her, and she can't have me._

"I want you around!" Jonathan seemed rather upset that Link would even imply that he did not care for him. "Me, Ariel, my mother. Even Mrs. Tamlin! And surely you have friends in the Royal Guard that want you around?"

Jonathan's words stung his heart a little. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to imply that you didn't care ̶ "

"Link, you've got many many years ahead of you. I promise you, things will turn out. You just have to believe." His head tilted, and his eyes flashed in the firelight. "You are our new Hero. Our new Champion. I would gladly die by your side to help you succeed. People might not see it, but I see the spirit that burns in your eyes. I always knew you were special. Everything that has come to pass only proves my belief."

Goddess, it hurt so much to hear Jonathan place such faith in him. It would only make him hurt even more when he would inevitably slip up and fail. Link sighed despondently before cramming down his heart racking emotions into a tight fist and buryied them where they could not escape for a while. "I wish I had your optimism…"

"Like I said, brother, it's a skill any man can learn. You just have to want it, and believe it."

Link curled his nose. "Belief is a dangerous tool. It can lead to unrealistic expectations and make the sense of failure much worse."

"Well then you better put your money where your mouth is when you say you believe in something. And I believe, with every fiber in my body, and every prayer in my mind, that you will succeed." He flashed a toothy grin. "And don't think I won't sit on you until you agree with me!"

"I'm afraid you'd get very bored after a while," Link retorted sarcastically, feeling a little humored.

"You'd be surprised. I'm a very patient man." Jonathan returned to honing his sword, grinning at his own wit. "Get some sleep. I don't need you being too tired to take over my shift."

"Fair enough. Goodnight."

"G'night."

Link turned his back to the fire, and mulled over everything Jonathan had said. He moment of comedic relief had passed as soon as it had come, and the demons of his heart came back in full force to gnaw and chisel away at his willpower. His eyes softly rolled under his closed eyelids and he began to drift to sleep.

 _Master,_ he heard his sword whisper to him.

 _I wish you wouldn't call me that…_ As he expected, nothing more came to him. _That's what I thought. Now let me sleep in peace. I have a lot of work to deal with in the morning._ His mind was plunged into unconsciousness, and soon his mind drifted endlessly into darkness, doomed to be sucked into fits of nightmares.


	25. Winter Winds

**Authors note:**

Sorry for the long wait, my friends! I was out of town last weekend, and I had to spend the past two days getting ahead in homework as I have a final to study for. Yay for college... Right?

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, as I apologize for the relatively inactive and mild style of the last chapter. It was one of those kinda in between chapters that are necessary, but also uneventful. Hopefully this chapter will spice things up for you guys! As always, thank you for all of the the support and love!

 **-Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter twenty-five, Winter Winds_

"How much longer you think it will be?" Jonathan asked nonchalantly.

"I'd say about two hours. Although, looking at the clouds, and with how unbelievably cold its getting, I fear we might get snow. Depending on how much, it may or may not slow us down."

Jonathan's cold lips thinned, and he nodded slightly. They had both put on every scrap of clothing they had to keep warm, as the early morning winds brought in a cold front that chilled them to the bone. Drod was arguably colder than they were, as he nearly never stopped shivering, but once they had set out on their horses and began to move around, he was able to warm himself to a manageable point.

As Link had begrudgingly predicted, heavy snowflakes began to drift down, being caught up in the harsh wind, and crashed into the exposed skin of their faces in painful pricks of ice. It only increased as they proceeded, and within the hour, a thin blanket of snow covered the ground beneath them.

"It's a damn early winter this year. Hope the farmers were smart enough to get a head start on the autumn harvest few weeks back."

"I hope so too. We'll desperately need food supplies, should the war continue through the winter," Link sighed. "I don't think a little snow will stop them, unfortunately."

"True. But we have the home advantage, they will have no way to sustain themselves out on the ocean," Jonathan shouted through a particularly strong gust of wind.

"That is unless they come into the mainland again to resupply. Coastal farms and villages will be the first places they will attack. And unlike Tarrey Town, they won't burn them, but rather hold them hostage for food. I have no doubt they will come inland and try to starve us out by cutting off our trade routes, and take have their fill of our food."

Jonathan nodded gravely before responding. "Hylia help us if that happens."

"I'm sure the Queen and her advisor are already know this, and will take preemptive action. Hopefully men are already being sent out to secure the surrounding farms and villages to guard them."

"But won't that stretch our defenses thin? A vast majority of Hyrule Castle's men are already at the Citadel. How will we have enough men to guard such a wide area, all while keeping the Castle and Town safe?"

Link rubbed his red nose to warm it, as futile as it may have been. "Yes. It will. However, we have the support of the other tribes. While the Gerudo are not well suited to handle our winters, they can guard the great Western Sea, and supply us through Canyon Pass. We of course also have the Zora army, who can help us in defending a wider area. Add that to whatever forces the Rito and Gorons can supply, and were in a better place than before, although their tact will be more centered through communications and resources acquisition."

"I wish this blasted wind would just blow them away, back out into the deep sea where they'll starve and dehydrate." Jonathan shot Drod a rather rude glare after making his statement.

Link did not respond and further, as it required for him to remove his hand that covered his nose and mouth to keep it warm. And so, they trekked forward silently though the falling snow, eventually passing over Lake Hylia and making their way to Faron Woods. Under the tree coverage, the wind died down almost instantly, which helped them warm tremendously.

"So where is the Caretaker?" Jonathan asked with perked eyebrows.

"She usually chooses to appear once were deeper into Damel Forest. She does not venture to far from the heart of the forest as she is bound to it."

"Literally or figuratively?" Jonathan asked with a smirk.

"Figuratively. If a Miarindol leaves their forest, they are almost guaranteed to die. That's what happened to the Thyphlo Ruin's in the north. It's completely submerged in darkness now."

"I head the King once found an ancient Sheikah Shrine in the heart of that cursed forest," he replied.

Link sighed lightly at the unpleasant reminder of his King. "Yes… He did many great things…" Jonathan joined him in the brief moment of remembrance before they pressed it from their minds and surged into the forest, which was now devoid of its rich green color as it was embracing a long winters sleep.

Like Link had done when he visited the forest with Zelda, the trio crossed the Floria River Bridge one at a time with their horses, Link being first, Drod second, and Jonathan last. Drod's jaw dropped when they stumbled upon the first signs of the Faronish Ruins. He shifted and leaned in his saddle, trying to read the hieroglyphics that littered the stone faces of the ruins.

"Veet Faronit-viyle dras untyine dra-va," he muttered with a tone of astonishment and excited wonder.

"Well I guess that's all the proof we need, Master Link," Jonathan remarked with a grin. "He's practically as giddy as a school boy reading these ancient texts scattered about…"

Link did not smile in return, because deep down he feared all along that he would in fact be proven right about the lineage of the sea-faring invaders. And now that he was proven right beyond a doubt, he wondered how MiarindÍl would responded knowing that the descendants of her once peaceful and gentle people had become mass murderers and savages. How would she respond to learning that they had sided with the same enemy that caused them to abandon her over 10,000 years prior? Would she be mad? Sad? How would she respond to him when she learned that he himself killed countless of her people in rage induced hatred? It sent a tinge of anxiousness into his heart, and he shuddered from the thought. There was only one way to find out how she would handle it now; tell her.

Drod was practically standing in his saddle, as he craned his long neck left and right, soaking in every detail of the ruins that surrounded them, occasionally making comments, or reciting what was still legible on the broken stones. Jonathan was right, he was as giddy as a school boy. They snaked through the winding river path, eventually coming upon the open amphitheater which was now covered in a blanket of white snow.

"MiarindÍl?" Link called out loudly, feeling his throat strained by the cold. There was a long pause. Long enough to make him wonder if she could hear him. "MiarindÍl?" he called even louder. Again, there was no answer. He looked back to Jonathan who shrugged his shoulders unknowingly. "MiarindÍl!?" he cried one last time, beginning to feel worried.

"You said she is like a tree, didn't you?" Jonathan asked with a tilted chin.

"Yes… In fact that tree over there is her spiritual anchor so to speak." He pointed at the massive tree that grew over the gaping dragon carved from stone that lead to the Spring of Courage at the far end of the valley. "Why?"

"Perhaps she's asleep for the winter. All the leaves on that tree are either gone or turned to their autumn colors. What if she is asleep like the forest… A hibernation almost?"

Link furrowed his stressed eyebrows. "But she said she would always be here for me. She said I could come back anytime. Why wouldn't she have warned me that she hibernates during the winter?" Now that he thought about it, it was strange that the cold had even reached this far into Faron at all. The region was always renown for drastically warmer winters, which many scholars blamed on hot air that came from the Faron Sea and Gerudo Desert, but it was never proven. Others believed that there was some magical power that kept the forest temperate and humid year-round, but now that magic seemed to be absent. In all of the ancient texts he read about the Faron Region, he did not recall that there was ever snow recorded in his life time, or the life times before him.

"Jonathan," he began gravely. "Somethings not right…"

"I know… I can feel it in the air," Jonathan responded, scanning the area around them.

"I did considerable research about the Faron Region and its people at the Castle Library when I had free time, and I never once read records of snowfall here. It's always been a wet rainforest, but never this cold…"

"Do you think Ganon has something to do with it?" Jonathan asked with a shiver.

"If that's true, then we're in graver danger than I thought… It would mean he is on to us, and is trying to cut us off from gathering information on him and his army."

Jonathan nodded wearily. "Well. What do we do now?"

"Let's set up camp and get a fire going against the west wall. Then I'll see if I can get the doorway to MiarindÍl's spring open."

"Right," Jonathan responded determinedly.

They tied their horses―and Drod―off under a large tree, and began setting up camp. It took the better part of an hour to get a fire going, as nearly all the wood they scavenged was unusably wet. However, Jonathan discovered a dry patch deep in the trees where countless leaves kept some dead branches and logs dry, and it allowed them to start a measly, but functioning fire. They ate a quick lunch and warmed themselves by the fire before Link set out to find the entrance to MiarindÍl's spring cavern. He followed along the west wall, feeling every indent and inset of the ruined stone until he came upon the spot where the door was. I was not covered in dead vines like the rest of the wall, and it appeared as if it had been open relatively recently. He knew it was unlikely to work, but he tried pushing, pulling, lifting, and sliding every direction, but he could not get a strong enough grip to put his full strength into it. Even if he could have, he imagined that it would have been impossible to move with one person. At one point Jonathan even joined him while keeping a careful eye on Drod who was not too far off. Still, their combined strength was not enough to even budge the door. Link tried knocking, and banging on the the stone, but there was no answer. He even tried looking for a switch or button again, but found no relief or lever to pull.

"Maybe Drod can help us open it," Link suggested.

"It's worth a shot."

They quickly retrieved Drod from his bindings and brought him to the door, and set about trying to open it again while he watched with a puzzled expression.

"MiarindÍl," Link said while pointing to the door. Drod did not seem to understand at first, but after a few repetitions, he began running his shackled hands down the runic texts that were on each side of the stone doorframe as if he were studying it.

"MiarindÍl," Drod called out in his thick accent, which made it sound much more natural and articulate than when Link or Jonathan said it. However, no answer came. Drod continued to search for an answer, but to no avail. "MiarindÍl vi lotmonde evintar," he murmured as if frustrated. They were surprised to find that he was as equally determined to open the door and find MiarindÍl as they were, even going as far as pressing his ear against the stone and tapping it lightly with his knuckles as if he were trying to crack a safe.

"You know, for being our enemy, he sure does seem intent on helping us," Jonathan remarked.

"They must have passed down legends through the ages about MiarindÍl, and view her as their patron deity. I think any of them would be eager to try to find her."

Jonathan nodded in agreeance. "Well from what you've told me about her, I don't think she would be very happy with how they have been acting. They might get a little more than they bargained for."

Link chuckled a little. "I thought the same thing." His small grin quickly dissipated before he continued in a serious ton. "In fact, I'm worried with how she will react, especially when she learns how many of them I killed."

Jonathan inhaled deeply and nodded. "Well. It couldn't be helped. A man has to do whatever is necessary to defend his kingdom."

"Grat-va!" Drod suddenly shouted, startling Link and Jonathan from their conversation. Drod spun around with bright eyes, and gestured for them. They stepped forward and waited to hear, or see his discovery with eager demeanors. Drod turned back to the door and placed both hands just a little higher than his shoulders and began to speak in a very quiet, almost prayer like voice. "MiarindÍl, unt ravba endiyel. Seltvo drad-vatin eck meen altava." The door suddenly shifted, and began to sink into the ground.

"Holy shit!"

"It worked!" Link clapped Drod on the shoulder and grinned. For a brief moment he forgot his prejudices, and beheld Drodvaltol in a fairer light. However, that brief moment passed, and reality stepped back in with a cold and mean spirit. He turned to Jonathan and motioned him to follow. "Come on. It's a bit of a climb down in the dark, but there's light at the bottom."

"You don't have to tell me twice to get out of the cold!"

They descended into the dark cavern, keeping Drod balanced between them as they kept steadying hands against the wall since they were mostly in the blinding dark. A familiar blue light began to dance on the landing below, and Link felt a rise of excitement within himself. That excitement was unfortunately shattered when he entered the cavern and looked to the back of the warm spring. Against the stone wall, in what seemed like a concave portion of rock, sat MiarindÍl, who glowed with an ethereal blue, not green light. Her long slender arm was propped up and was supporting her head as if she were asleep. From the oaken parts of her body sprung out long roots that gripped onto the cracks and crevices of the cavern wall, creating a network of roots that resembled that of a tree's branches stemming out from its trunk. They approached with caution, jaws dropped and furrowed eyebrows.

"MiarindÍl," Link called nervously. She did not respond, nor did she stir from her seat. He looked back to Drod and Jonathan who had equally terrified and awe filled expressions. He quickly removed his boots and socks before stepping in the warm spring, and treaded over to MiarindÍl. Her eyes were closed, but he could see the slightest movement in her lips and face, and the ethereal mist-like glow that swirled in her core softly and slowly pulsated in a cadence that resembled that of breathing. Link stretched out his hand and lightly touched her shoulder, instantly being filled with a warm feeling in his head and body.

 _MiarindÍl?_ He called in his mind. She did not respond, but he could feel her presence. It was so peaceful and quiet, like a child contently sleeping in a warm bed, tucked away in soft blankets. For a moment he was pacified into a state of peaceful rest, feeling warmth radiate from his core. _MiarindÍl can you hear me?_ he asked, closing his eyes. Again, she did not respond, but her presence softly shifted and turned, as if she were turning in a bed to be more comfortable. _MiarindÍl please, if you can hear me, wake up. I need you._ Again, no response. _I have one of your people with me. Please, I need you to translate what he is saying… Please, terrible things have happened, and it's all on my shoulders to set them right. I need you._ He felt something warm graze his chin, as if a soft finger stroked his jaw. He opened his eyes but found that she had not moved an inch. _MiarindÍl,_ he said forcefully. _Wake up!_ He began to tap and move her face, but she would not wake or stir from her slumber.

"Drodvaltol," he called, motioning for him to approach. Drod quickly kicked off his boots and eagerly walked forward through the spring. Link gestured for him to touch her, in hopes that he might be able to wake her. Drod's eyes closed, and a warm smile stretched across his mouth. Link waited patiently, but nothing ever happened. Drod eventually withdrew and shook his head. "Jonathan, do you want to try to wake her?"

"I don't even know how," he responded anxiously.

"Just touch her shoulder, and speak in your mind, as if you're talking to yourself." He nodded and approached, following Link's instructions. Jonathan fell into a trace like state like Link and Drod had, but after some time he also withdrew empty handed.

"I could feel her, but she did not speak. She really is asleep… What do we do?"

"I don't know. I guess let's keep trying to wake her up. Maybe if we try at the same time, we can be a big enough presence to wake her."

"Worth a shot." They both put their hands on her shoulders, and gestured for Drod to do the same. However, everything felt the same as before, and MiarindÍl did not awake.

"Do you think if we poke her with something sharp she'll jolt awake?" Jonathan asked.

"I don't know. I wouldn't want to hurt her, but maybe it will be just enough to wake her." Jonathan pulled a small dagger from his belt and handed it to Link. Just as he was about to poke her hand however, Drodvaltol cried out and surged forward as if he were trying to pull the dagger from his hand.

"Li, li vot-telin!" he cried. Jonthan quickly restrained him, equally surprised as Link was at his sudden outburst. It was clear he did not want them to hurt MiarindÍl.

"Hey hey hey! Calm down!" Link withdrew the knife, and held out his hands peacefully. "I won't hurt her. I'm just giving her a light poke. Nothing serious!" Drod continued to thrash against Jonathan's strong grip, but was unable to break free. "Maybe we should try it later. When he's not looking."

"Probably a good idea," Jonathan grunted. Link quickly covered the dagger and stepped away, signaling his good intentions. When Link withdrew, Drod finally relented, and stopped struggling, returning to his peaceful demeanor. "Well. What do we do now?"

"I don't know," Link sighed in frustration. "It seems like she's okay, just asleep. We must keep trying to wake her. This is our only lead to figure out what Ganon has planned. If we can't figure out what's going on, then the best we can do is wait until they attack again, and I will be damned if that happens while we have no advantage."

"Why don't we set up base in here, and then we can spend the rest of the day trying to wake her up."

"That's all we can do for now. I'll keep Drod secured down here if you want to grab the bags and make sure the horses will be warm and safe."

Jonathan nodded. "Do you think we could get the horses down the stairs? I would hate to leave them up there in the cold unguarded."

"Maybe. I doubt they would be brave enough to do that, especially if they can't see, but perhaps if you could provide light somehow they might follow."

"I can fashion up a torch from the fire." Jonathan began jogging to the entrance of the cavern, pulling his boots on. "If I hurry I might be able to pull a branch from the fire."

"Best of luck. I'll be down here if you need me."

Link continued his attempts to wake MiarindÍl, but they resulted in the same failure. She either turned away, or quietly withdrew her presence. He tried shouting, both internally and outwardly, but still she did not wake. With every passing moment he grew more and more frustrated.

"MiarindÍl! Please. Wake up! I don't know what to do." No response. He grunted grumpily before sitting down on a small rock nearby, and watched as Drod continue to prod MiarindÍl with as much reverence as he could muster. After a few minutes Link heard the loud clatter and clops of horse hooves, and eventually Jonathan emerged, torch in hand, and Link's horse in tow.

"That was a battle, but I finally persuaded him to come. Had a couple of slips here and there, but he's in one piece!" His horse certainly was jumpy and fidgety, but as Jonathan had said, he was in one piece and healthy. His horse even strode up to the warm spring and began to drink from it, which seemed to calm him down even more. Jonathan soon ferried in the other two horses, who both seemed to take the trip in confident strides.

"Any luck?" Jonathan asked as he began unfurling his bedroll and making himself comfortable in the surprisingly warm cavern.

"None," Link vented.

"Well Drod seems pretty taken up with her for the time being. Maybe we should just let him work away. He probably knows more than we do." Link reluctantly agreed, and began unfurling his bedroll next to Jonathan's, and plopped down with an irritated grunt.

"I just don't know what to do. If we can't wake her, then we have no back up plan, nothing to go on." Link massaged his eyelids, racking his brain for any ideas. "We have nothing else to go on. We have no intelligence on the specters, and only minimal information on the Faronites. We're completely blind."

"I'm sure we'll think of something. Maybe the Queen will have something. She always was a great scholar, and seeing that she has more experience with this type of stuff than anyone else, surely she can think of our next step."

Jonathan's optimism did not help improve his sour mood. Link felt as if his only opportunity to be useful was squandered. The first step he took towards his goal already failed miserably, and he simmered in anger because of it.

 _Looks like you'll be going back to Hyrule Castle empty handed. Wouldn't be the first time you've been a disappointment._

 _Yeah, I know. Goddess, I just wish I knew what to do._

 _You'll find a way,_ the other voice promised him. _Jonathan is right. If we can't wake MiarindÍl, then we can get back to the Queen and Princess, and we can all put our heads together and figure out where to go from here._

 _Oh yeah, let's all jollily go back to Hyrule Castle empty handed and show all the guards and townsfolk how completely useless you are! Sounds like a fantastic plan._ Link bit his tongue and silenced the voices, only growing more frustrated, but no less determined.

"We will keep trying to wake her until tomorrow morning. If she doesn't wake up, then we'll head back to the Citadel. From there I'll report back to the Queen."

"Alright," Jonathan sighed. "We can ride together back to the Batrea Lake and rest for the night. From there I can get Drod back to the Citadel on my own easy enough, that way you can save some travel time and go directly to the Castle."

"You sure you comfortable with that?" Link asked hesitantly.

"Certainly. I know that area well, and Drod is not a hard prisoner to control. With a good night's rest, I can easily make it to the Citadel from there in a half day, even with the snow."

"Okay," Link nodded. "But only if you are absolutely sure."

"Of course. Why, are you worried about me?" he asked with a jestful smile.

"I've lost too many brothers as is," Link began gravely, which instantly shot down Jonathan's warm smile. "I'm always worried."

"Of course," Jonathan responded seriously. "I'll be fine. The roads will be well traveled with other knights from there. If anything even does happen, I won't be far from help."

"Fair enough. If this doesn't work, then I'd like to get back to the Castle as soon as possible… I've been getting a little antsy leaving the Princess unguarded. Especially with the specters nowhere to be seen." Although he would not admit it to himself, he found that he already missed being with Zelda, as their time together in the Library ran through his mind all during his watch earlier that morning before they left Batrea Lake. He told himself repeatedly that it was asinine and downright imprudent to view their time in the Library as anything more than a simple pass time to occupy the Princess' mind from darker things, but he could not deny how at peace it made him feel. _I'm still just her knight,_ he reassured himself. _It was good for her to be distracted for a while, but I can't let my desire for her happiness to cloud my judgment. I must keep the delicate balance._

"I'm sure she's fine. She'll be surrounded by the Royal Guards." Jonathan's lip curled in a suppressed grin, which Link knew was the tale tell sign of one of his incoming jests. "Of course, none are quite as good as you, I'm sure. There's no one better suited for the job than you!"

 _Now if only I could do it without being bogged down by my feelings._ Link only shrugged his shoulders with a pursed smile.

"You don't always have to be so modest you know," he commented with a mischievous smile.

"I prefer not to draw attention to myself if I can help it," he responded smartly.

Jonathan chuckled lightly before he continued with his counter argument. "And yet, for someone who wants to remain unseen, you've seem to have a knack for drawing attention."

"And see how far that's gotten me," he insisted. "You think I enjoy being the most hated knight in Hyrule?"

Jonathan's smile disappeared, and he titled his head in apologetic concern. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. Of course you didn't want that to happen."

Link only sighed before responding. "It's okay. Besides, there nothing I can do to change it now, so I best learn to live with it."

"Like I said yesterday, give it time and I'm sure people will come around."

They sat in relative silence after that, occasionally taking the time to try to wake MiarindÍl. As soon as they would think of a new idea, they would try it, but they grew more despondent with every failure. Even Drod was visibly downtrodden by their inability to wake her. The day passed unbearably slow, and the night came ever slower. When Drod and Jonathan had fallen asleep, Link took the first watch. To suppress his boredom, Link paced about the cavern, trying to think of different ways to wake MiarindÍl, and even tried lightly poking her with the point Jonathan's knife. It certainly was not hard enough to do any real damage, but it would have startled anyone else awake with a yelp. And yet, MiarindÍl did not even seem to notice.

 _MiarindÍl,_ he began as he placed a hand on her arm. _If you can understand me, please wake up. I'm terrified of my own failure, and this could be my only chance to make a considerable difference in the war effort. I need your counsel. I need you to translate for Drodvaltol; a descendant of your own people. He is the key to figuring out what Ganon plans to do…_ Her presence shifted in his mind, and for a moment it felt as if she were peering into his memories, but it faded shortly thereafter, and she turned away in his mind. _Damnit! Please! What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to be the hero destined to fight back the evil if I don't even know what to do? Goddess, why did The Sword choose me? Do you know why!? Is there a way you can communicate with the voice inside the Master Sword? Please, you must tell it that it chose poorly. You have to tell it that I am not enough. Are you there?_

His never-ending questions were only answered with withdrawn silence. His patience was spent, and so he withdrew and sat down near the spring, and tucked his legs up under his chin, pulling his cloak around him. With nothing to distract his mind, his mind drifted to stressful topics. Primarily, he imagined the disappointment on the Queen's face when he would come back with nothing useful to report. She was counting on him, the next Chosen Hero, to find out what Ganon was planning, and yet the plan he had full confidence in failed. He imagined how disappointed the Princess would be to learn that he had nothing of comfort to offer. He imagined the angry and disgusted faces of the townsfolk and guards of Hyrule Castle, as he strode back with only failure to bring, confirming their suspicions.

Link felt alone. Sure, he had Jonathan with him, and he certainly made him feel better at times, but Jonathan didn't really understand how he felt. He couldn't fully comprehend the stress that he was under. He knew the only other people that would truly understand his strife was the Queen, and the Princess, but he could never truly vent out his frustrations, his sadness, or his hopelessness to either of them. He had to remain strong and carry any burden that was placed on him like any loyal servant would do. It was his job, that was his status, no matter how likely he was to fail. And so, he felt alone in facing his struggles, and MiarindÍl was not even awake to share in his troubled mind and offer him counsel and comfort.

 _What about you, huh? What does the voice inside the Master Sword have to say? Do you have any insightful information to turn away from me in favor of sleep?_ He unstrapped the Master Sword from his back and held it in his hands, studying the ornate golden designs on the scabbard. _Lucky me,_ he remarked miserably. _A magical talking sword that does not talk to me, a mystical being that is too sleepy to talk to me, a Princess and Queen that I would be out turn to share my grievances with, and a best friend who can't fully grasp the stress I'm under._

 _You know, for someone who is supposed to be a loyal and stoic servant, you sure do complain a lot._

Link sighed dejectedly. _I know, I know. I have no right to complain. I just need to suck it up and stop being a child. Be the wolf, not the lamb._ He pulled his father's necklace out from underneath his tunic and held the small carved lamb in between his fingers, reaffirming himself in his true purpose, feeling ashamed. _I made my blood-oath. I will find the next course of action instead of wallowing in self-pity and hatred._

 _Forgive me father for my weakness._

He forced his mind back to the topic of his next step, omitting his reservations from the discussion. He figured that his next step after returning to Hyrule Castle would be to go the Library and read any and every ancient text that could possibly unveil the identity of the three specters, as well as find any manuscripts that could help them translate Drodvaltol. Perhaps it was possible, given they had enough time, for more qualified scholars to even begin decoding and learning the Faronish language, or teach Drodvaltol how to speak Hylian. Maybe even both. However, that required time, a lot more time than he could realistically hope for, and he knew that the invaders would return very soon, as their supplies would undoubtedly run out on the sea, which would force them to invade the mainland again. He then turned his attention to determining what they would do if Ganon and his army were to attack before they even had a chance to learn anything about him. With the size and power of his army, Link knew they stood a poor chance against them, but including the specters, and Ganon most of all, he knew that their chances of survival were non-existent unless by some miracle he were to be successful. They could hold out the Citadel for as long as possible, but even that would inevitably fail, and then they would be forced retreat further inland. If Ganon was smart, all he would have to do would be use the specters to turn the tide of every battle in their favor without staying long enough for him and the Princess to trap and kill them. They were fast and agile, and if their previous performances were anything to go by, not even Hyrule Castle would remain impregnable.

So what was he waiting for? Link couldn't determine a logical answer. Perhaps he was trying to lull them into a false sense of security, or maybe he wanted to wait until the dead of winter to catch them in their most vulnerable state, but why wait when they could so easily destroy them? At any rate, the whole scenario put Link on edge. He remembered Commander Varin once telling him that there is no more dangerous enemy than the one you don't understand, and Link knew little about their sea-faring invaders and the terrifying specters.

 _The King would know what to do,_ he remarked despondently. He thought back to the King's funeral, most notably the strange melody that the Rito Bard began to play. It was so soft and beautiful, almost like a gentle lullaby. Link often found that he was absent mindedly humming the soothing tune in the long stretches of his watch. Although he could not explain it, the song almost reminded him of Zelda; if such a thing was even possible. It was gentle and peaceful like she was, and it soothed his heart and mind to hear it, much like her voice soothed his mind―except for when she asked questions that he felt were a compromise to his social status―but still, it had a calming and enchanting effect on his consciousness. Thinking abstractly, Link felt as if Zelda was like the fabled Silent Princess flower; a rare and beautiful blossom to be cherished, but not one that he was allowed to pluck and take for his own. No, he had to watch and enjoy from a distance, all while keeping it safe from harm so that it might grow and bloom without hinderance. Including his own hinderances.

Link was beginning to find that his mind drifted towards thoughts of Zelda dreadfully often, which he knew was a bad sign. And so, he began suppressing all thoughts towards her that were not strictly related to the task at hand. It was another chore that he seemed to fail miserably at, as it would be mere minutes until he was thinking about her fondly again.

Link did not try to wake MiarindÍl any further that night, and so he simply sat and idled his time with darkening thoughts about his future, avoiding his draw towards Zelda. Being alone with his thoughts was becoming a dangerous proposition, as with every moment that passed, he only grew angrier, sadder, and more frustrated. For the entirety of his watch, Link slowly rocked side to side to keep himself awake, as he studied the cavern walls and glowing stalactites above him. The light they casted was so soft and soothing that he found it hard to fight the urge to sleep, but he was well adapted to keeping himself awake after years of training.

 _If only you could have stayed awake a little longer,_ he grumbled towards MiarindÍl.

And so, Link sat and waited in utter silence, completely alone and terribly bored. He was glad when it finally was time for him to switch places with Jonathan several hours later, and he quickly drifted into sleep.

Per usual, his routine nightmares made their stale return to him that morning, but this time there was the slightest difference. It was such a small change, but by the time he awoke at dawn, he could not recall what the change was. All he could noticed was that the Master Sword was much warmer in his hands than usual. He racked his groggy mind, trying to remember what was different, but like any passing dream, the further along time passed, the less he could remember. And so, like always, he pressed it from his mind and forgot it. Jonathan greeted him with a warm smile and some food that he prepared during his watch. To his surprise, Drodvaltol was already awake, and was sitting next to MiarindÍl with his hand resting on her arm, his eyes overcast and void.

"He woke up not too long ago. Been there since. I figured he wouldn't do anything to get into to trouble, so I've just been keeping an eye on him."

"You have any luck while I was asleep?" he asked as he munched on his breakfast.

"None…"

"Well," Link sighed. "I guess we will let Drod keep trying to a little longer, and if nothing happens then we will pack up and head out."

Link was in a sour mood for the rest of the morning as they wasted away in the cavern in relative silence. Even Jonathan and Drod were visibly disappointed in the mission's failure. Link took a quick break outside to relieve himself, and found that a foot of snow had covered the ground, which he knew was going to take a toll on their travel time. Yet, he hoped as the proceeded further north it would not be quite as deep. At that current state however, he estimated that they would arrive and Batrea Lake by nightfall.

Once Drod finally admitted defeat, they packed up and said their unceremonious last goodbyes to the sleeping Caretaker of Faron, unsurprisingly receiving no answer. When they exited the cavern, Drod spoke the same words he had the day before, and the door began to grind, and stagger closed, so that MiarindÍl would remain undisturbed until she awoke. Link took the time to learn what Drod was saying, word for word, and syllable for syllable so that should he need to return he might be able to open the door without Drod's help.

The forest was unnaturally quiet. Not a single winter bird chirped, nor did any animal cross their path. The only noise they heard was the crunching of the snow beneath their horses' hooves, and the faint clinking of the metal on their bridals and saddles. It was a peacefulness that made the hairs on the back of Link's neck stand up in anticipation.

Nothing ever happened however, and so after a brief ride, they themselves on the outskirts of Faron Forest. The snow made it difficult for the horses to proceed, but they trudged forward across the Bridge of Hylia and backtracked past the Great Plateau, until the turned east and rested for a very late lunch at the Kolomo Garrison. The knights stationed at the garrison were just as surprised by the snow as Link and Jonathan were, and were busy with clearing out paths on the main road with flat shovels. In addition to the grueling chore of clearing snow, the Kolomo Garrison guards, and their overseer; Lord Tarvin, were busy with receiving an influx of Hylia, Rito, and Zora soldiers from the north, confirming Link's earlier suspicion about the Queen sending men out to guard the borders of their kingdom. By the time they warmed up by the fire and had their fill of food, which the garrison guards unenthusiastically parted to Link, it was the late-afternoon. Feeling much better from their warm break, they prepared to leave. Before they left however, Jonathan wisely suggested that they ask for bundles of dry fire wood, which the guards agreed to give them, with no small amount of reluctance.

Luckily, as they proceeded to the northeast, the snow did seem to thin out dramatically. Instead of a foot of snow, they only had to deal with a few inches, which made it much easier on their horses, allowing them to cut through it with relative ease. As they had anticipated, they reached Batrea Lake an hour before the sun set, and they built a roaring fire to keep them warm. With a large tarp hung over their bedrolls so that they would stay dry if it were to start snowing again, they settled in for another cold and uneventful night.

"Hopefully it won't snow again," Jonathan commented while he finished chewing the last bite of his dinner.

"I guess we can only wait and see," Link responded as he prodded the fire. "I can take the first watch again. You have a longer road to take than me know, so I'll let you get some extra sleep."

"I can't say no to that," Jonathan chuckled as he tucked himself under his wool blanket. "Just don't strain yourself. Wake me if you need me," he yawned.

Link wrapped himself in his blanket and sat by the fire, occasionally throwing an extra log onto it to sustain it, but took care to preserve their precious supply of dry wood. He watched listlessly as the flames dance in flashes of bright flickering light, once again returning to his lonely state of mind. _All this work for nothing,_ he grunted. _I just can't wait to report back to the Queen,_ he added with a sarcastically bitter quip.

As he had promised, he allowed Jonathan an extra hour or two of sleep since he had a much longer trip ahead of him, which he seemed to greatly appreciate. By the time morning rolled around, dark clouds covered the sky and threated to bear down on them with heavy snow again. However, the clouds seemed appeased for the time being, and so they struck out onto the road as soon as they had ample sun light.

"Well, brother. It's been nice traveling with you, even if things didn't work out," Jonathan said earnestly as they came upon the fork that would split their paths between the Horwell and Eagus bridges.

"Thank you for accompanying me on this―less than desirable trip. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

"Nonesense," Jonathan shouted with a beaming smile. "Any time I get to spend with my oldest friend could never be a waste. I would do it all over again just to spend time with you, even with the dreadful cold." Jonathan grabbed Link's forearm and pulled Link into a brotherly embrace, clapping him on the back.

"Goddess I'm going to miss you," Link sighed as he embraced his friend. After a brief pause, Jonathan pulled from their hug and placed encouraging hands on his shoulders.

"I will miss you too. You stay safe out there, Mister Hero, you hear me?"

"Yes sir," Link laughed with a sarcastic tone. "And make sure Drod doesn't die please. We will need him whenever MiarindÍl wakes up."

"On my honor I will," Jonathan chuckled before hugging Link once last time then remounted his horse, positioning himself next to Drod with the lead rope still in hand.

"Bra-tava, Link," Drod surprisingly commented with a polite smile and bright gray eyes. It was another one of the rare moments that Link forgot who Drodvaltol and his people were, and saw him as a peaceful man.

"Bra-tava, Drodvaltol," Link retuned with a nod, concluding their farewells. He mounted his horse and began to turn it down the left path to cross Horwell Bridge, when Jonathan shouted one last passing order.

"Oh! And you take care of the Princess now, understand?" Jonathan smiled mischievously and winked, and for a moment Link's heart squeezed, fearing that he had somehow found out about his feelings for the Princess. However, he reassured himself that there was no way he could have known, and that Jonathan was merely being his usual playful self.

"I will," he shouted over his shoulder before turning back and spurred his horse onward. Link knew he would be sad to watch Jonathan leave, but now that it was finally happening, he did not anticipate how much it really would hurt his morale. The longer he rode, the lonelier and more despondent he became. In addition to this, as if it were an expression of his mood, it began to snow within a few minutes of crossing the bridge. Link often peered back over his shoulder to watch his oldest friend leave with the Faronish prisoner, and with every glance, Jonathan and Drodvaltol grew smaller and smaller until they seemed to disappear into the Lanayru Wetlands.

 _Goodbye,_ Link sighed inwardly.

He stretched his cold fingers and shifted in his saddle as he passed between the little valley of Whistling Hill and the Bottomless Swamp, eventually coming upon a small grove of tall trees. While the heavy snowfall only hindered his eye sight slightly, he could see the familiar hills and dells of Hyrule Field, and even further away was Hyrule Castle, although it was so covered in a heavy fog that he could not even see the peaks of the lowest towers, much less the tops of the monolithic spires of ancient Sheikah technology. Link stopped for a moment to take in the rare view. While many would have called it a dreary sight, Link found that there was a strange beauty to the way the white snow covered the land and all of the little village huts that were scattered across the countryside. It was the kind of beauty that only a man that truly appreciated the wild would understand. He drew in a deep lung full of air through his nose, and blew out a large billowing mass of mist from his mouth, reveling in the beautiful display of nature for a moment longer.

It was then when, without warning, that a great gust of wind fell against his back so hard that it nearly ripped the cloak around his neck clean off. The sudden gale spooked his horse, and it began to thrash around wildly while wailing in a high-pitched whinny. From the direction of the wind came forth a rolling wall of thick snow that violently blew past him and consumed him in a thick fog-like blanket. It was the front of a terrible snow storm.

"What the hell is going on!?" he cursed to himself as his horse continued to fight him, bucking and jumping as if he were trying to throw him from the saddle. "Calm down boy," he tried to say soothingly, although his teeth began to chatter, and his cheeks started to sting from the cold snowflakes that battered his skin. Despite his stern commands, Link's horse would not listen, and continued to rear up and kick his legs. Link held on with all of his strength, and tried to calm his skittish horse, but with every gust of wind that rolled through, his mount only grew more desperate and distressed. With the speed that only fear could muster, his horse suddenly surged forward at a full gallop, stubbornly resisting the pull of his reins, and weaved between the grove of trees at blistering speed. Despite his best efforts, Link knew that there was no stopping his horse now, and so he clinched his legs together, dug his heels into the stirrups and held on for dear life.

It took him a few minutes to realize what happened when he suddenly awoke on the ground with a pounding headache. He felt dizzy and wheezy as he propped himself up on his elbows and brushed the cold snow off of his face, already feeling a tender spot on his forehead. He looked up to a low hanging branch, which was no doubt the culprit that caused his headache.

"Hylia alive," he winced in blinding pain as he looked to his left, unable to see more than a few yards away. The snow was falling harder and faster than he had ever seen it fall before. He always heard of the renown winter blizzards that would annually roll through the Tebantha Tundra to the far north, but never before had he seen such a storm in the heartland of Hyrule. Apparently he had been unconscious for a few minutes, as his lower body was already covered in an inch of snow, soaking his clothes as it melted from his body heat. He began to shiver uncontrollably as he moved his legs, eventually rolling to the side and holding himself up on his knees and hands. Every movement made his head throb with a droning pain, but he pushed past it and shuffled over to a nearby tree, and pulled himself up against it.

A rush of fear struck him when he couldn't feel the Master Sword on his back, but after reaching over his shoulder his fear was laid to rest as he felt The Swords warm hilt in his grasp. He sighed with painful relief, taking a moment to gather his senses and form a plan, but despite his best efforts to clear his head, he could not gather his bearings. The forest offered no noticeable landmark to go off of, and it felt like the whole world around him was spinning, making it practically impossible to determine which way was north. _The road,_ he thought as he grimaced and pushed off the tree, beginning to saunter to where he determined the road would be, but in all honesty, he merely guessed. While he could not find the road itself, he did discover a uniform part in the trees, which he imagined would signify where the road was, buried deep below the snow that was now steadily climbing to his knees. He looked right, then left, searching for any signs of life, light, or his horse. Unfortunately, he found no tracks, he found no horse, and he still could not see but a few yards ahead of him. _I need… To get… To shelter,_ he thought in his dazed state. His legs felt heavy as he struggled to push through the rising snow, pulling his wool and fur cloak around him to try to keep warm. The wind was nearly strong enough to knock him over in his weakened state, but he managed to stumble forward without incident. Occasionally, as he senselessly trudged forward, he would look back to find that the tracks he had just recently made were almost covered completely.

 _Shit._

His whole body shook violently, and his jaw grew sore from chattering, causing his teeth to hurt, but he pressed on knowing that if he did not reach safety soon that he would surely freeze to death, and no one would find him until the snow melted away. _I hope Jonathan hasn't been hit by this,_ he worried. At one point he considered turning back to search for him, but he knew that if would never make it. No, he had to instead pay attention to making it out alive himself before he could even think about going back to help Jonathan. What use would he be to his friend if he was dead?

 _A light,_ he croaked miserably. Far in the distance he saw a warm flame that resembled candle light in a window. _That must be the Mabe Ranch_... He felt better now that he at least had a direction to go now, and so he kept a watchful eye on the solitary candle light that was his only beacon of hope. The snow grew deeper as he pushed forward for several minutes, but he never took his eye off the light. The light grew brighter and closer, and for a moment his spirits rose, but then something strange began to happen. The light began to bounce and sway side to side slightly in a slow meandering cadence. He thought that it might have been someone carrying a torch, and so he cried out for help, hoping that whoever was carrying the torch would hear him. No answer came, and so he opened his mouth to shout again when suddenly he saw some small object dart towards him.

The pain that followed brought him to his knees.

He cried out in ear-piercing agony as the mysterious object penetrated the front of his thigh, almost reaching the bone. He collapsed on the ground and clutched his leg, eventually looking down to find a long, slender shard of what seemed to be a semi-translucent black stone sticking out of his left thigh. He had only ever seen a handful of objects made of that same ebony colored stone once before.

 _Goddess, please no…_

He looked back up to where the torch light once was, but now he only found that the it had erupted into a long and rich red flame. Two other flames immediately erupted beside it, bearing blue and green colors, and soon Link could see the billowing shapes of three black cloaked specters slowly approaching him with predatorial grace. He tried to stand, but his leg would not let him, so he drew the Master Sword from his back, immediately being illuminated by its ethereal blue glow and prepared to fight from the ground.

" _Master, run!"_ It was so clear in his mind. He heard the voice inside The Sword call to him. The faint but beautiful ringing sang in his ear.

 _I can't. My leg._

" _You have to try, Master!"_

He knew it was right. He screamed in pain as he bore his full weight on his right leg, barely summoning enough balance to stand up straight. He did not even have enough strength or sense to raise his sword when a billowing black mass shot forward to him and knocked him back down.

" _Master!"_ the voice called as his sword flew from his hand.

He rolled helplessly in the deep snow as he desperately searched for the Master Sword with his hands and feet. He was in such a panic that he forgot the cold and pain, but he eventually found the Master Sword buried beneath the snow not far from him. Just as he grasped the handle of the Master Sword, he felt two pincer-like hands dig into each of his shoulders and began to lift him from the ground. With as much speed he could muster, he tried to swing at the specter behind him, but he met the loud ring of steel against stone. Apparently his futile attack was blocked with ease.

He then felt a third hand grip onto his ankle, pulling it from underneath him, spinning him upside down, and dangled him by his leg. The excruciating pain was so strong that he nearly passed out, but luckily, he held on to his consciousness and the Master Sword. Before long, he felt his body soar upwards, knocking the wind out of him. He looked up to the sky and saw a featureless, hooded specter lifting him higher and higher into the air, as it was enveloped in a billowing black flame. He looked back down to the ground below him and was horrified to find that he could not even see it through the thick storm.

 _Oh fuck._

If it were even possible, his heart beat even quicker and more desperate as he began to thrash around wildly. When his senses returned, he eventually swung the Master Sword, and cut across the specters arm, intending to free himself from its grasp. Unfortunately, he put no forethought into the plan, for as soon as he struck the metal plated arm that held him, it shrieked in pain and let him go, allowing him to plummet to the ground unhindered. It was when he fell for more than a few seconds that he realized his mistake.

He could not decide if he was lucky or not to be caught mid-air by the second specter, as the sudden jolt sent a surge of fiery pain down his left leg that caused him to pass out. When he awoke, the Master Sword was not in his hand.

 _Oh Shit!_

He began to kick with his uninjured leg, but to no avail. Every movement he made only brought more excruciating pain; pain that made him complacent and incapable of retaliating. He passed from consciousness to unconsciousness in rapid succession, as he could feel whatever dark venom that the shard in his leg bore course through his veins. He found it nearly impossible to breath high up in the freezing air, but as time went on, it grew unexplainably warmer around him. After what seemed like a blink of an eye, he broke through the clouds and could see past the storm.

 _Sand..?_

His vision went black before her could get a better look at the ground below him, but he felt insatiably warmer than before. When his vision finally returned he could see the ground beneath him speeding past, but to his horror he realized that he was falling. He could not recall the impact.

By the time he stopped limply rolling down the side sand dune, he felt the shard in his leg snap and burrow further in, sending another wave of unimaginable pain up his thigh. Nothing besides his leg felt injured from the fall however, which seemed like a miracle given his circumstances. Apparently, the specter dropped him in a way that the slow curvature of the sand dune would break his fall a little, rendering him immobile, but still alive and relatively uninjured. He began to spit up warm sand from his mouth, finding that it was muddied by blood, which left a copper-like taste on his tongue.

He was completely exposed in the open dessert. The Master Sword was nowhere to be seen, he had no supplies, and his wounded leg made it impossible to stand. He searched the skies for the specters, but it seemed that they disappeared without a trace. Using only his hands and right leg, he began to kick away to find a place to hide, but the land was barren of any rocks, buildings, or coves to hid in or under. Panic began to surge through his heart, and he began to draw in desperate breaths as if they were the first ones he took since birth. His heart stopped when the sand began to shift and tremble around him.

"Hylia save me…"

The sun that once beat down on him mercilessly was suddenly blotted out a massive, hulking form that stood tall above the sand dunes before him. Whatever the thing was, it slithered towards him on its two fin-like claws, being followed by a long-tapered tail that resembled that of a large fish. It was unlike anything Link had ever seen. He had recalled seeing paintings and drawings of the mythical Moldugas of Gerudo Dessert, but judging by the unbelievable size of the terrible beast that approached him with cunning glances, he knew that it could not be a mere Molduga, as they were a quarter of the size, and had four legs instead of fins. What he witnessed was something much worse than that.

It had a long and narrow snout, which was inlaid with sharp, pointed teeth, and on each side of its narrow skull were two sunken bright red eyes that peered down at him glutinously. It skin and hard scales seemed to barely cling onto it bones and muscles beneath, almost as if it had been brought back to life, and was decaying in reverse. A deathly stench poured out from its mouth as it let out a deep rumbling yawn-like roar.

There was only one creature that Link knew of that could ever get to that size. He had read about them during one of his history classes when he was training to become a knight. However, they were an extinct species; or at least, only three of their fossilized skeletons were ever found scattered across Hyrule, and no one ever heard of a or saw a living Leviathan. At least not until now. Adrenaline kicked in, and Link turned over onto his belly and began to crawl away as fast as he could, but his heart threatened to give out when he heard the shifting sands rumble behind him. It was too late. There was nothing he could do now. He was the captive prey of a terrible and prehistoric predator. He glanced over his shoulder, horrified to find that the Leviathan's gaping mouth was pitched towards him high in the air as it prepared to pounce down on him and swallow him whole.

 _So this is it…?_

He did not even have time to think of any passing words before he was plunged into complete darkness. Given the unbelievable amount of sand that instantly closed in around him, it appeared that the Leviathan had bitten off a large chuck of the land around him, but it was soon turned into mud as the creature's saliva permeated it, coating Link in a foul-smelling liquid that made him want to vomit almost instantly.

"No, NO, NO! Please goddesses! Please not like this!" His panicked and desperate pleas went unanswered as his body was thrown and tossed around inside the Leviathan's mouth. Its wretched and wet tongue tasted him greedily before it began to force him to the back of its throat. The smell alone made his stomach churn, but he held back the overpowering urge to vomit again as gripped onto anything he could hold onto to long enough to stop himself from sliding down the monster's gullet.

"Please! Hylia! Goddesses! Zelda! Anyone!"

His grip was not strong enough to hold on any longer as the Leviathan tilted its head vertically and gave one last shaking swallow. All Link could do was scream in sheer terror as he was pulled deeper down the throat of the beast. Of all the horrible ways he thought he would die, this was far worse than any hypothetical death his imagination could have ever come up with.


	26. The Great Beyond

_Chapter twenty-six, The Great Beyond_

Link thought he would have already been dead as he helplessly tucked himself into the fetal position. However, it seemed that he was trapped inside some stomach-like holding chamber which was quite squishy and smelled like death itself, although there was no acidic liquid that would digest him. Occasionally he would catch a particularly strong whiff of rotten flesh that seemed to originate from a closed sphincter at the posterior of the chamber. It was vile enough to make him vomit, however now―after several hours of this―he only dry heaved miserably. The only relief he ever got from the unbearable smell, claustrophobic humid air, and pitch-black darkness was a small ventricle-like opening that would stretch open at the roof of the chamber, allowing a rush of fresh air and sunlight to pour in.

It was hot inside the chamber. Hot enough to make Link sweat profusely, although he could not tell, as he was soaked to the bone in clingy, gut-wrenching saliva. He tried his best to keep it away from his mouth and eyes, but there was nothing to dry his hands on, and so he had to live with the nauseating feeling of smiley goop all over his face and eyelids. He tried unbuckling the scabbard on his back, and used it to jab and prod the inside of the fleshy chamber, hoping that the Leviathan would spit him out, but it did even seem to affect the beast. And so, he merely curled up in a tight ball, and wailed dejectedly, all while being tossed and rolled around as the beast slithered across the bounding dunes of Gerudo Desert.

 _Where is the fucking monster taking me?_ he cursed. _Why not just kill me right now and get it over with!? Put me out of my misery._ He did not even want to think of an answer. Every painstaking moment was agony for Link, and the burning pain in his thigh only made it worse. He thought about trying to pull the shard from his leg, but what was the point? He could not have even gotten a firm enough grip on it even if he did try. At any rate, it seemed to serve as a plug, preventing him from bleeding out, which he almost desperately whished would happen.

 _No,_ the voice in his head sternly corrected. _If there's any chance you can escape this, you need to take it. You still have an oath to fill._

 _There's no way you're going to make out alive,_ the other voice began. _You should just accept your death now. Stop fooling yourself._

 _I… I just don't know what to do. Maybe ̶_

His thought was cut short when there was a sudden jolt in the Leviathan's movement. The hole at the roof of the cavity that served as his prison opened briefly, allowing in another rush of cool air. However, in addition to air, Link noticed a splash of water sprinkle in, and through the nauseating smell of the beast he caught the scent of salty ocean air.

 _Hylia alive… It's going into the sea._ Link thought that he had enough heart stopping moments to last a lifetime, but now he found himself once again paralyzed by hopeless fear at a surprisingly simple, but daunting reality. He was going to be dragged into the depths of the ocean, where his body would be digested, then released into the waves. He swallowed the lump in his throat before trying to stand, in hopes of clinging his way out of the opening, but it snapped closed before he even pulled himself onto his knees. He was then carelessly flung head over heels as the Leviathan plunged down into the water at an ungodly speed. Link could feel the strong pumps of the monster's tail propel them in the water, resulting in a deep rumbling sound that resonated along the length of its spine. Goddess how Link wished he could just die in a normal fashion.

It only felt like a few minutes until Link felt a dramatic change in atmosphere around him. He was surprised, and quite frankly glad to find that it grew much cooler inside the chamber as the Leviathan delved deeper, however it was still just as damp and malodourous. Still, it was once less discomfort to deal with. Link wondered if the beast would resurface occasionally to allow air into the cavity, but as time went on, his hopes were dashed with inactivity. And so, he curled back into the fetal position and waited for whatever terrible nightmare was to come.

To stop himself from crying he began to hum the soft lullaby that reminded him of Zelda, allowing himself just one moment to think longingly of her. _Might as well cherish her memory while I can_ , he remarked with no small amount of teary-eyed hopelessness. With nothing more than the putrid smell, and the gentle bobbing movement of the Leviathan to distract him, Link found it easy to transport himself into his vivid imagination where he was sitting in the castle library reading poems with his beloved princess, soaking in every detail of her soothing voice and smile that made his heart flutter. How desperately he wished he could just be with her in that moment. What would he say? What would he do? Now that he was facing his inevitable demise, he was not afraid to admit to himself that all he would want to do was to wrap his arms around her, bury his face in the crook of her neck, and never let go. He could practically feel the curve of her back in his arms, her soft hair against his cheek, the weight of her shapely body against his… If only he had the chance. Someone would have to shove a dagger through his heart in order to pull him from her.

Link began to sob quietly, and his tears mixed with the thick saliva that coated his cheeks, but he did not care anymore. Who would have the right to judge him for his tears now that he was trapped inside the belly of some terrible beast? He felt as if he was warranted at least a small moment of remorseful tears. Unfortunately, remorse soon turned into shame as he recalled all the promises that he made to his parents, to Zelda, to his King, and to himself that he would now fail to uphold. As he had predicted, he would die an utter failure, a complete disappointment, and worthy of all the hatred and contempt that his countrymen and women held towards him. He would forever be remembered as the Hero Who Failed.

 _A fitting name, don't you think?_ the dark voice sneered to him, but he did not grace it with an answer.

Link was jolted from his deep state of mind when a strange light began to shine through the semitranslucent scaly skin of the Leviathan. It seemed as if a ring of purple light moved from the front to the back of the chamber, illuminating the inside with and ethereal and otherworldly glow. Before Link could even try to hypothesize what the light was, he was tossed around wildly to the back of the cavity as the Leviathan began to rapidly surface.

"Oh shit!" he screamed as the chamber began to be flooded with salt water from some hidden orifice. It came as quite a shock for him when he was suddenly launched forward to the direction of the beast's mouth, which immediately opened as he drew close, expelling him in an unceremonious and sudden heaving expulsion. His body slammed hard onto what felt like solid stone, and for a moment he dared to think that he was free. He wiped away the water and saliva from his eyes, finding that he was indeed lying face down on a smooth white stone floor, but the world around him was dark and empty.

"Ah! You've finally arrived," a man said in an uncharacteristically cheery voice. Link tried to push himself up, but his leg cried in protest, and so he merely looked up at the man who stood before him. Link imagined that it would be some grotesque monster-like humanoid, given his recent luck, but to his surprise he found that the person that stood before him was actually quite fair―handsome even. He wore a simple flowing black robe made of some sort og burlap-like material, which had a large and long hood, but it was pulled back, revealing the stern face of a middle-aged Hylian man. His skin was a dark copper color, as if he had spent his whole life outside in the sun, and from his head fell long raven hair which was pulled back behind his ears in a loose tie. The only aspect of his features that Link would have called inherently _ugly_ was his unusually long and haggard nose, but the rest of his face was pleasant enough to look at. He had deep amber eyes, thick bushy eyebrows that matched his jet-black hair, and his jaw was square, strong, and clean shaven up to his chin, which sported a scraggly goatee. He stood a bit taller than Link did―or at least he did by his estimate―and had wideset shoulders that were held high and proud.

"I trust you… enjoyed your ride over?" A wicked smile stretched across the man's lips, but Link's glare turned sharp enough to cut through stone. "I thought that I would give you a little treat. Sure, I could have had my servants bring you through easy enough, but where's the dramatic flair in that!? No. You are my honored guest, and I only treat my guests with the finest I can offer."

"…You," is all Link could sneer before he began to claw his way forward, intent of strangling the man before him. His advance was met with a blinding fist on his right cheekbone.

"I'm glad to see you haven't lost your impeccable spirit. But that will change soon enough, I promise!"

"You… You're ̶ "

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm the scary evil man I'm sure you've heard about," he said sarcastically. "Let's get the introductions over with, shall we? I'm eager to get started." The man stooped down and grabbed Link's face with his long wiry fingers and pulled his head straight. "In my home reality they called me Ganondorf, although I feel like it was a name that was rather abruptly forced onto me. I prefer to go by a more―how should I put it―a more _eccentric_ name. I'm afraid I must insist that you simply call me Master."

Even though Link knew exactly who he was before he even uttered the words, it still brought a wave of crippling dread to his heart to hear him say it. His throat felt dry, his heart pounded in his chest, and he began to tremble from weakness. He barely had the strength to hold himself up on his arms, much less attack his enemy.

"How does that sound, hmm?" he continued with a wry grin. "I'll call you Master Link, and you can call me Master. I'd like to think were equals. At least for now." Link tried to speak but the words were stuck in his throat. "Come now. You are allowed to speak. In fact, I encourage it."

"Why am I here? Why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Why indeed?" Ganondorf chuckled. "Let's say that that I've stumbled upon a very important discovery that requires you to stay alive. Besides. I've been in desperate need of some company that can actually carry an intelligent conversation with."

"Where am I!?"

Ganondorf smiled malevolently before clapping Link on the shoulder. "I could try to explain it. But perhaps it would be better to just show you." With a snap of his finger, two ghostly apparitions arose from the ground in featureless black clouds. They wavered and waned for a moment until they took their full physical forms. Link nearly yelped when the two specters wrapped their long metal fingers around his arm and lifted him to his feet. He grimaced in pain as his limp thigh scrapped the ground, sending shooting pains all the way up to his hip, but there was nothing he could do. The wound in his leg―and undoubtedly the poison that was pumping through his veins―drained him of all strength to the point where he could barely keep his own head up.

"Come along. I think you'll enjoy this."

Link slumped helplessly as he was dragged behind Ganondorf by the two faceless specters who often seemed more like clouds than physical beings. With what strength he could muster, Link looked all around him, finding that the world that surrounded them was completely submerged in an abyssal darkness, and yet it was as if an invisible light hovered over them, providing them with enough light to see a few yards around them. Occasionally they would pass what seemed like the ruins of a stone tower, building, or wall, and beneath their feet was a paved walkway that was decrepit and falling apart. It was as if some magnificent white-stoned city had been ruined and covered in an eternal darkness.

"It wasn't always like this," Ganondorf began quietly. "In fact, before I got here, the sun never stopped obstinately shining down on this accursed place. I know you wouldn't believe it, but I think I would have rather preferred it before it was consumed in darkness. But, it was a necessary change. Besides, it was just too easy to do. It never crossed their minds that I could ever get in here."

"And where is here?" Link sneered.

"There are many names for this place. The World Outside, the Great Beyond, although I believe that your reality calls it the Afterlife. Or at least, this place serves as a gate way to the Afterlife."

"And what do you call it?" he asked with a trembling voice.

Ganondorf smiled crookedly. "I call it the Phantom Realm. But it doesn't really matter what we call it. All that matters now is that you are here with me."

"And what do you intend to do with me?" Link murmured, feeling utterly helpless.

"All in due time, young master. I'd like to show you something first. Call it a little eye-candy before we start, if you will."

The specters' grip around his arms seized tighter, causing Link to wince, but he did not make a sound. With a brisk pace, Ganondorf led the way to a dilapidated tower in the center of a long stone wall which had a spiraling staircase in the center of it. Link's feet hit every step of the staircase, sending wave after wave blinding pain through every muscle in his left thigh. By the time they reached the top he was out of breath from holding in his grunts and whimpers, and his pale face was beading with fevered sweat. His leg only grew worse as time went on.

"Turns out creating a tear in reality itself can cause quite upset in the nature of things," Ganondorf said as he pointed to the horizon well past the tower balcony. "Most of the work was already done for me by the time I made it landside. It merely need a little push to get the ball rolling." Link squinted his eyes as he gazed out upon a panoramic star field. The land past the wall was none existent, and below them was nothing but an open void sprinkled with the faint flickering lights of distant stars. It was then that Link realized that they were on a floating island, trapped in the open heavens, completely surrounded by… _nothing_. While there was no source of light to explain it, the world outside of the stone wall was cast in an unchanging pale-yellow light, which bounced off the white stone, and rocky foundation below. The _horizon_ that Ganondorf pointed to was no real horizon at all, but rather an immense black mass that was devoid of all stars. Link could not estimate the distance between them and the black _hole_ that swallowed the light around it, but judging by the immense size of it, it was undoubtedly thousands, if not millions of miles away. The tidal tails that stretched out from each side of the circular mass cut the sky in half, resulting in what one could imagine to be a surrogate horizon line. The stars that dotted the heavens behind and near the mass seemed to be stretched and elongated in unnatural ways, as if the celestial bodies themselves were being warped by the gravitational pull of the abyssal puncture.

Link was speechless. Being swallowed by a Leviathan was one thing, but witnessing whatever―this―was sent his head spinning to the point that he felt like he was not even inside his own body.

"I have to admit," Ganondorf finally cut in. "Not even my own powers could never even come close to matching that behemoth's. Whatever _it_ is, its energy is limitless."

"You don't know what it is?" Link wheezed.

"I know how it was formed. But not what it truly is. I've merely tapped into its power, which how I was able to cover this land in darkness... and do many other things. Turns out _it_ is quite capable of swallowing suns."

"That thing ate the sun!?"

"Indeed. Well. In a way. In fact at one point, it was the sun, but after some… things happened, it began to consume itself. Of course, it needed a little convincing, but I found that it was already on the verge of catastrophic meltdown after my abrupt entry, so it only took a little shove." The more Ganondorf explained things, the more Link felt helplessly confused.

"What do you mean 'abrupt entry?' How did you get into this place?"

"It's quite simple actually. With a little magic. That puncture in the horizon was my entry point into this gateway realm outside of all other realities. I tore my way through the fabric of reality, so to speak, and it caused a catastrophic failure in the system. However, I used this anomaly to my advantage, which made taking over the Phantom Realm that much easier. Not even _They_ could withstand me. Of course, they should have thought about that before they went to sleep."

"Who are _They?"_ Link whispered.

"Well, two of them are helping you stand at this moment, and the third is off taking care of some important business for me." Link looked up to his left and right, and tried to peer into the shrouded hoods of the specters that held in in iron grips, but he only found darkness. They did not move, and they did not speak. They were as silent, and as still as the grave.

"But… What are they?"

Ganondorf chuckled mischievously without answering, and gestured for the specters to follow him down the stairs. "You will find out soon enough," he finally replied in a deep and ominous tone. Link clinched his jaw shut as they descended the stairs, which felt even more painful than climbing them. By the time they reached the bottom he felt as if he were going to pass out, but by some miracle he held on long enough to feel some relief at the landing. The base of the tower was damp, practically dripping with moisture, and it was filled with a musty and rank smell―although it was nothing compared to being inside the Leviathan. Ganondorf motioned with his finger, and then the two specters brought him to a small door on the eastern wall of the tower, which opened up into a small square room with little more than a wooden table and a single candle which burned with a ghostly light. It barely provided enough light to see the four walls of the room.

Link's heat beat with numbing terror. On the far wall was two chains, and on the end of each one was a rusty iron shackle, open and ready for their victim. He felt his stomach churn when he realized that they were going to hold him prisoner for goddess knows how long, and do who knows what to him. He tried to put up a fight as they cuffed his wrists, but his struggling only ended in a swift and painful jab to the side that knocked the air out of his lungs. With their cold and calculated fingers, the two specters ripped his cloak and tunic off in fast motions, leaving him bare chested and cold. His once proud and colorful tunic now laid on the ground soiled and torn.

"I'm afraid I must be completely honest with you, Master Link. You aren't going to like what comes next." He leaned in a whispered in his ear, sending shiver down Link' side. "The more you cooperate with me, the faster we can get this over with, understood?" Link swallowed the lump in his throat, too afraid of what he could only imagine would come next to speak. "There is one very important thing we must attend to before we can really dig into the meat of the meal, so to speak. There is one more person I would like to introduce you to… Or should I say, formally introduce you to, as I believe you have grown to know him quite intimately." With a shady smile, Ganondorf began to roll up the sleeves of his cloak, and wrung his hands together to warm them.

"This is going to hurt… A lot. But it will be worth it, I promise." He cleared his throat and closed his eyes as if he were focusing on some very abstract thought. After a brief pause he then began to chant in a slow ritualistic manner. It took a moment for his 'spell' to take effect, but the moment it did every inch of Link's body convulsed in excruciating pain. No amount of will power could stop him from screaming at the top of his lungs. It felt as if his insides were on fire.

"Dara-var elnkine. Dara-un elnkine. Dara-mivarin-ti."

If he had any food left in his stomach he would have already heaved it up, but he didn't, and so in between waves of electrifying pain his stomach and throat contorted uncontrollably, cutting his screaming into choppy coughs. It felt like something was moving inside of him. Something sinister. Something primeval.

"Ek gratar-indo, berteldin litario dras-vite."

Goddess, something _was_ inside of him. It was clawing away at his innards, trying to tear its way to the outside. Whatever it was, all he wanted was to be rid of it. Ganondorf's chanting became more intense and soon he produced a long ebony dagger from the folds of his cloak, and brandished it against his palm.

"Chorvin-sey. Hylia droma."

He pulled the blade across his palm, drawing blood, then surged forward and latched onto Link's shoulder like a bird of prey and pulled in a violent and jarring movement. Whatever _it_ was, it burst forward from his chest in a billowing cloud of black smoke, and fell face first onto the stone floor. Although Link's body was visibly uninjured, and he felt instant relief from the searing pain, every muscle in his body throbbed sorely from the physically draining act. It felt like he could finally breathe again, as air passed in and out of his lungs urgently. The _thing_ that fell from his body was in likeness to the ghostly specters that haunted him, although instead of being cloaked in a black robe, it was bare skinned, colored darker than the night skin. From what Link could see from his perspective, the form was shaped like a man, and from his head fell long hair that was just as black as his skin. It crawled on the floor on all fours, gasping for air just as Link was doing. Ganondorf stooped down and placed his contriving hand on the creature's shoulder, and whispered to it before helping it stand. The smoke around the being billowed and spiraled, until it eventually dissipated, revealing its full uncovered body. It did not seem ashamed of its nakedness, but Ganondorf produced a long robe, seemingly out of thin air, and gave it to the creature. The being's movements were smooth and calculated as if drew the robe around himself before turning around. Link's stomach hit the floor when he saw its face. It was a complete mirror of his own, only pitched-black, and instead of blue eyes, it bore bright red ones.

"May I present to you the little voice in your head. He is, or was, as much of a part of you, as you are a part of him. He is your equal in every way, except that he answers only to me."

 _The what?_ Link was too shaken by the experience to even form coherent thoughts. Ganondorf took notice in his utter confusion, and so he began to explain with a menacing smile.

"He has been with you since the day you were born," he started before beginning to pull at the loose collar of his cloak, showing Link a myriad of etching-like scars that were in the shape of runic symbols on and around his lower neck and upper chest. "It was a painful ordeal to create a blood-magic spell strong enough to achieve such a thing, but I persevered, and I think it's safe to say that it worked out splendidly."

"Since… since the day I was born…?" Link could barely breathe, much less talk properly.

"Indeed. It was easy enough to track down where you were when the goddesses sent an urgent message to warn the Spirit of the Hero to seek you out, and leave its former vessel. I simply followed the trail it left behind, and sent your equal after it."

"I… I don't understand."

"Perhaps it would be easier if _he_ showed you." Before Link could even protest, his dark reflection surged forward with a malicious smile and dug his slender fingers into the sides of his skull, sending a shock wave of electrical impulses through his brain. The world went black around him, and he felt his consciousness ripped from his mind. He was now the captive audience of a visceral vision.

 _A single golden beam of light shoots across a starry sky, but it is falling more than flying. It falls through some undescriptive window, then arcs upwards and stops midair in a large and ornate bedroom. There is a large bed on the far wall, and in it are two sleeping people. One man, and one woman. Link instantly recognizes them. It's the King and Queen of Hyrule, although they seem noticeably younger. Not much younger than he remembered them to be, but still considerably younger._

 _The small beam of light gathers itself and forms into a small orb before floating above the King. A wispy tendril reaches out and touches the King's bare chest. He shifts slightly in bed, but does not awake. Without warning, the orb of light then disappears, and from the King's chest leaps out the silhouette of a translucent man, but he is bathed in blinding golden light. The silhouette quickly losses its form and flies out the window, turning south towards Castle Town._

 _The town is unchanged for the most part, although it is much less developed than the last time Link saw it. There are fewer buildings, but not too few to seem odd. The golden figure drifts slowly down into the town, passing by closed doorways, unseen by the sleeping villagers. It seems as if it is searching for something, or someone._

 _The figure then stops at the threshold of a small home with a large lean-to workshop on the right side. Link realizes that it is his father's home. The golden figure passes through the door without even opening it, and once it is inside it makes its way to his father's bedroom._

 _The room is just like Link remembers it. In the bed he can clearly see the slender face and body of his father. Goddess, he almost forgot what he looked like. Although, like the King and Queen, he is noticeably younger. His face is not as wrinkled as he remembered it, and his hair did not have a speck of grey in it. There's someone in the bed beside him. It's a fair blonde-haired woman… Mother? She looks so peaceful. So beautiful. She has his nose, or rather, he has hers. Even though Link is outside of his own body, he can feel tears running down his cheeks. Her belly is large._

 _The golden figure gently floats beside her before reaching out to her stomach with a soft hand. Like flowing water, the figure is drawn into her belly, and out shines golden light through her semitransparent skin, revealing the shadowy outline of a small baby within her. The baby shifts slightly as the light enters, but seems relatively undisturbed. The light finally dissipates, and the mother turns in the bed, peacefully yawning, but still soundly asleep._

 _A dark presence then enters the room. Like the golden figure, it is translucent, although instead of being covered blinding golden light, it is permeated with a dark cloud. Ominous red eyes appear in the fog, and then out stretches a ghostly arm. Like an arrow, it flies forth and penetrates the mother's womb, jolting her from her peaceful rest, but it disappears into her belly before she even sees it._

" _Gerald," she yelps. "It's happening." Link's father bolts from his bed, still groggy eyed, but worriedly excited. The bed is wet around his mother. Her water must have broken._

" _This early? It's barely been eight months," he says in a fearful voice._

" _My water broke. I can feel ̶ " Her breath is cut short as she cripples over from a painful contraction._

" _Stay in bed sweetheart. I will be back with the midwife!" His father barely gets his boots and shirt on by the time he sprints out into the street._

 _Time flies by quickly, and before long a small, but healthy boy is born… Link is born. There's so much blood. Goddess there is so much. His mother is deathly pale, barely strong enough to breathe, but all she keeps saying is: "Please. Let me hold him."_

 _When his father finally agrees, and helps her hold him in her arms, her blue eyes light up. It is the teary-eyed light that only a mother can have. He is crying loudly in her arms, but she gently rocks him back and forth, saying: "Hush my little lamb. I have you. Stay strong, and have courage. Your father will take good care of you." Tears begin to roll down her cheeks and she sobs lightly. "Gerald," she croaks._

" _Yes, my sweetheart?" he manages to choke out through shivering tears._

" _I want you to have my necklace. And then when you think the time is right, I want you to give it to him… Give it to my little lamb." His father leans in and kisses her on the forehead, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, cradling her and the baby in his arms._

" _I will, sweetheart. I promise."_

 _Goddess, her face is white as snow. She buries her head in the crook of her husband's neck, and then moves no more. Her arms fall limply to her side, and Link's father surges forward to catch the baby in her arms before bursting in to heart wrenching sobs. The light in his life is gone…_

Link felt his consciousness fall back into his body, and then his eyes snapped back open. "You! YOU KILLED HER!" Angry tears poured down his cheeks as he tried to lunge forward to attack, but he was held back by the shackles around his wrists. His dark reflection pompously stepped back and laughed maliciously. It sounded exactly like him, although, never in his life had he laughed with such cruelty and twisted amusement.

"No. We killed her," his reflection responded with a curled and tempered sneer.

"No!" Link screamed. "She was perfectly fine until you came along and attacked her!" Link felt stronger than before, as adrenaline and hatred fueled his muscles, but it was not enough to break free from his restraints. "You should be glad these chains are holding me back. I would wring your neck until your eyes popped out from your skull!"

"Now now," Ganondorf interjected. "Is that anyway to talk to yourself?"

"Goddesses preserve me, I will do the same to you!" Link barked, still pulling against his chains.

Ganondorf laughed amusedly. "Says the man who does not have the weaponry to achieve such a feat, much less have free arms to do so."

"Give me any sword and free me, and then we will see who is laughing!" Link's throat began to hurt as his every word rattled his vocal cords vioently, and spit flew from his raging mouth.

"You of all people should know that the Master Sword is the only weapon strong enough to truly hurt me," Ganondorf retorted in a more serious voice. "But that is a matter we will attend to at another time."

"I don't care! I will ̶ " Link's hateful remark was cut short when his reflection struck him in the jaw with a hard fist. When he recovered and tried to continue his dark equal hit him again. And again. And again. And again, until the side of his face was black and blue.

"Now that you two are properly introduced, it's about time we start working on coercing out the third member of this jolly party. However, I can guarantee that it will be much, _much_ harder." Ganondorf walked to the far side of the room and leaned against the wooden table in the corner. "Link," he said, addressing the red-eyed monster. "Why don't you give our guest a little complementary special? He looks like he could use a proper… _breaking in."_ They both nodded and smiled wickedly.

"Do you have any tools?" the reflection asked.

"Anything your heart desires."

"Bring me everything."

* * *

Rumors began to spread when the supposed 'next Chosen Hero' did not return from his sudden and unannounced quest. The knights that still remained in Hyrule Castle and Town were already convinced that he had decided to sneak off and abandon his responsibilities now that he could keep the Master Sword for himself. Perhaps he wanted to sell it to the highest bidder, or maybe he was just hungry for power and fame. No allegations were truly off the table.

"That's what he wanted all along," they would say. "My brother was at the Citadel when the wildmen came, and says saw him stab the King in the back and stole the Master Sword," one particularly upset knight claimed, although he mostly said it because he enjoyed the attention from the enthralled inn-goers who gobbled up the falsehoods like pie.

The inns were the local hotspot for rumor spreading, due to the fact that when the castle guards would stop by for their nightly drinks, they would whisper and share rumors with one another, spreading tales about the rumored 'Knight of Scorn,' calling him an imposter, usurper, and a scoundrel. While the gentle and benign townsfolk were hesitant to believe the rumors at first, the constant circulation of horrible stories and rumors about the next Chosen Hero began to gain traction, and soon even the innocent people of Castle Town began to whisper to one another, passing along the wild accusations, and ill-rooted speculations.

What merely started out as a handful of sour Citadel Cavalrymen spreading stories about the ill-reputed Knight of Scorn who impersonated the King on his hour of death, soon turned into a warped game of 'he said, she said.' One knight would whisper slanders in the ear of a bartender, who would then pass it along to a traveler, who would then decide to make the story even more 'exciting,' and sprinkle in exaggerations and downright lies to sensationalize what he or she had heard. With every passing iteration of the story, the self-insinuating rumors began to become more vile and preposterous, and soon the majority of Hyrule Castle hated the fabled Knight of Scorn as much as their cousins to the east in the Akkala Citadel did.

It had been five days since Link was supposed to return from his trip, nine days total including the four days he was originally allotted to take, and yet despite several search parties being sent out, he was nowhere to be found. It was due to the stress of his unexplained absence that Zelda had to clear her mind alone in the Family Study, where she was tucked away on a particularly wide sill of a window on the east wall, restlessly journaling her thoughts while sipping on a small mug of hot tea. It was a ritual she always partook in on long winter days since she was a child, as she would watch the gentle snow drift down outside the window and cover the beautiful countryside of her kingdom. She was only half way through her entry titled: _Day Five, still no signs,_ when two maids entered the room to tend to the fire and tidy up the room. Since Zelda was well hidden behind the heavy curtains of the Study's window, they were very much unaware of her presence, but she did not make a sound, as she usually did not want to be rude and disturb the maids from their chores. It was also her only opportunity to gather her source of Castle gossip, as the two maids that tended to the East Wing of the castle were particularly talkative when no one else was around. Or at least one of them was.

The younger of the two was named Elise, who seemed like a sweet girl, although she certainly had a fiery personality to match the wild red color of her curly hair. Whenever Zelda would listen, she noted that Elise did the majority of the talking, as her dark-haired, and considerably older co-worked, Clarice, was a much more reserved individual, who usually responded in polite 'mhm's' and 'uh-huh's.' Usually, they would talk about menial and uninteresting things such as a particularly rough stain they removed from a cushion, or how their fingers hurt from spending the morning maliciously polishing silverware, but on some occasions, they would have something 'juicy' to talk about.

Zelda recalled a time when Elise went on and on about the handsome Appointed Knight that back frequented the castle halls, and how she claimed that he winked at her when they passed each other. It made Zelda's cheeks burn red with angry jealousy, but her rising emotions were quickly subdued when Clarice stoutly protested her silly claim, to which Elise only giggled and said: 'Okay, so maybe he didn't wink at me. Maybe it was actually the other way around.' It certainly put her at ease, but from that day forth she was a little weary of the young red-headed maid. Perhaps Zelda was a little more jealous that she should have been.

However, the topic of their discussion on that particular winter morning took on a much darker and mean-spirited form. Elise was prodding the fire and adding more logs onto it when she began to talk over her shoulder in a quiet voice.

"Now that were alone, did you hear about the Princess' Appointed Knight?" she asked.

"I did. Such a sad thing. He seemed like a sweet boy, I'd hate to hear that he froze in that blizzard," Clarice responded with a sigh.

"Maybe it isn't so sad," Elise protested with a bitter tongue.

"What!?" Clarice exclaimed. Zelda echoed her response in her head with a dumbfounded expression. She bit her tongue and kept her silence however, so that she could hear Elise's explanation.

"Haven't you heard about what he did at the Citadel?"

"No…"

"They say that when no one was looking, he stabbed the King in the back and stole his sword. And then he disguised himself and paraded around like he was the King!" Elise's voice was vitriolic and snappy, clearly indicating that she believed the absurd notion.

"Are you sure? You yourself were quite take up with him just a week back. How can you say that?"

"Yes I'm sure! I've heard numerous castle guards say it, as well as some of the other servants. They all say the same thing. They all say he is a traitor. I can't believe I fancied him! It makes me sick!" Elise threw another heavy log onto the fire before standing to continue her accusations. "I don't think he got lost in the storm. I think he just ran off to go sell the Master Sword, or to hide it to keep for himself."

Clarice stammered on her words as it seemed to have come as quite a shock for her. "Could it just be rumors? If it were true, wouldn't the Queen have had him arrested and charged with treason?"

"They say he is a soothsayer, and has manipulated the Queen into believing that he is the next Chosen Hero."

 _How dare she,_ Zelda silently mouthed, feeling her ears grow hot from anger.

"I… I just don't know, Elise. I never talked to him, but every time I saw him he was very nice… Are you certain?"

"That's exactly what he wants you to think! He has no honor!" Elise retorted with a snarl.

Zelda had enough of it. She would not stand idly by as the petty maid insult Link's honor like that. Her ears and cheeks were on fire with righteous anger as she placed her mug down on the window still and stepped out from behind the curtain with her hands clasped into tight fists.

"How dare you!" she shouted, practically startling the maids into a faint.

"Your ̶ eh, I mean, m-my lady! I didn't know you were in h-here."

"You dare to insult my father by saying that he did not die honorably fighting in battle, but instead was stabbed in the back? You dare to say that Master Link assassinated him? You dare to call him a traitor!?" Elise backed against the wall and began to cower, looking like a terrified child.

"No my lady, I onl ̶ "

"Silence!" Zelda interrupted, pointing an indignant finger at the young red-haired maid. "I was there when it happened! I was there when Ganon's monsters came and murdered my father! I was there when Master Link valiantly took up my father's sword and selflessly fought back those accursed deathly specters! I was there when our men fought and died to push back the hordes of thirty-thousand Wildmen!"

"I'm sorry my lady," Elise begged on her knees. "I didn't know. I only heard the rumors!"

"Then you will go back to whoever told you these disgusting lies, and you will tell them the truth. You will tell them that my father died at Ganon's hand defending our kingdom, and that Master Link is his spiritual successor and rightful Chosen Hero selected by the Master Sword when he proved himself worthy. You will tell them that Link never asked to be disguised as the King, but that he only faithfully followed his Commanders orders! Do. You. understand!?" Zelda's entire face felt hot with rage, and her nose wrinkled and flared. It was anger that she did not even know she possessed, but it was apparently a terrifying sight, as the little maid that cowered at her feet was on the verge of tears.

"Y-yes m-my lady," Elise whimpered.

"Now leave! Out of my sight!" After a rushed bow, Elise left through the door, wiping away her tears. A lone Royal Guard stuck his head in the door, worried about the ruckus. "You! Get in here," she demanded with a stern gesture.

"Yes, my lady," he replied with practiced calmness. After he entered, he bowed deeply when he presented himself in front of her, then stiffened into a disciplined attention.

"Have you heard of these rumors about Master Link? Did you hear everything I just told the maid?" she asked with a strained, but still terribly angry voice.

"Yes, my lady," he replied with and unflinching expression.

"Do I need to ask you if you believe these lies about his loyalty!?"

"Not anymore, my lady." The guard's lips thinned and his back stiffened further. She understood by specifically worded response that he was once a believer.

"And need I remind you the punishment for slander?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"No, my lady."

"Good! Then you are dismissed. And if you meet anyone that continues to spread lies and rumors about Master Link, see to it that they are given the truth. Master Link fought valiantly to save my father, but he was murdered before he could even get the chance. Make sure they understand that he did not impersonate the King under his own volition. Am I perfectly clear?"

"Yes, my lady. It will be done." Zelda waved the guard away with her hand, ignoring his dutiful bow.

"m-my lady," Clarice began nervously. "Is there anything you would like me to do, or anything you would like to say to me?"

"No. Thank you," Zelda replied curtly. Before she dismissed Clarice however, Zelda took in a deep breath and calmed herself. "I'm sorry. Thank you for not believing these ridiculous lies."

"Of course, my lady," she replied with a polite and relieved bow. "As I said, Master Link always seemed like a sweet boy. Even old grouchy Larin grew to like him, and he does not part his favor lightly."

Zelda's moment of anger had finally passed, and she smiled kindly as she inhaled, and exhaled. "Yes. He is." She stood in silence for a brief moment, then her kind smile turned down as reality of the situation seeped back into her mind. "I've just been so worried about him. I don't even think _he_ could have made it through that blizzard."

"I'm sure he is fine, my lady. He has the Master Sword to guide and protect him, wherever he is." Zelda tried to force another smile, but it fell rather pathetically, and so she just nodded and thanked Clarice for her kind sentiment.

"Thank you, Clarice. I won't be much longer, you can come back and finish your chores in a few minutes."

"Thank you, my lady," she said with a polite bow before leaving.

After retrieving her journal and tea from the window sill, she unceremoniously plopped down on the small sofa by the fire, and began to proofread her half complete entry.

 _Day five, still no signs._

 _Link's best friend, Jonathan, arrived late last night after a tough trip through the snow to give us an in-person report of everything that happened_ _on their journey to visit MiarindÍl. It seems that she has been put under some deep hibernation-like sleep that she won't wake from, but that is not our main concern at the moment. According to Jonathan, the last place he saw Link before they separated was on Horwell Bridge, which is not far from Hyrule Castle…_

She quickly wetted her quill in fresh ink before scribbling in the rest of her entry.

 _We've sent out several search parties, which consists of Jonathan and some of Link's knight-friends who are as equally worried as I am. However, the snow is waist deep in some places, and chest deep in others, making it a slow and arduous process, not to mention how unbearable the cold is. I've never seen snow so deep in this part of Hyrule, which makes me think it is safe to assume Ganon's foul magic is at work. Still, we are determined to keep looking for him, and I will ask mother if I can help them on their expedition tomorrow. I feel like I'm going to burst at the seams if I don't get out and try to help find him. I'm so dreadfully worried._

 _P.S. We need to do something about the horrendous rumors spreading about Link. We can't let Ganon divide our people. They need to support him as much as they support mother and I. For his sake, and theirs._

After letting her entry dry a little, she closed her journal and slouched back into sofa and rubbed her tired eyes. She barely slept at night between crying for her father, and crying for Link's disappearance. Apparently red-hot rage was the only way she could vent her frustrations now. She just could not stop worrying about it. She felt as if she were going to scream if she did not do something about it at that exact moment.

 _That's it!_

With an iron will, she bolted up from her seat and strode out of the Study, practically jogging down the hallway to her room. Once she was inside, she ravaged her closet in search of her warmest travel gear, which was a Rito snow quill tunic and trousers, fur-lined boots, and a wool cloak. Normally she would ask for her handmaid to help her dress, but she did not want, or need her help. She quickly slipped out her dress, and threw on her travel gear, ensuring that every buckle was secured tightly so that it would not be tugged loose in the wind. From her closet she also found a small short sword that her father gave to her when she had turned thirteen. While she certainly was not proficient as a professionally trained knight, her father spent considerable time teaching her the basics of swordplay, which she recalled was a fact that Link seemed bashfully surprised by when they were younger. True, she was no soldier, but her knowledge was enough to get by in a pinch, and she promised to herself to begin practicing every morning again.

 _If Link is not here to protect me, then I will make up for it with on my own,_ she remarked with a determined, if not prideful grunt. _Besides, I have my powers, which will be more useful to me than any old sword._

After she tied her cloak around her neck and strapped her short sword around her waist, she made a few last-minute adjustments before striking out in a wide gait. If history repeated itself, Jonathan and Link's knight-friends, along with the other search parties would return around lunch time to warm up and eat, then they would turn back to keep searching around one o' clock. She intended to meet them as soon as they returned for their lunch break, and ask―or demand―to come with them. She was certain they would protest and claim that it was too dangerous for her to go out in the wild with them, but the fire in her soul burned too hot to be dissuaded by a couple of worried knights. No, she would go out and search for Link with, or without help.

"And where do you think you are going?" a familiar voice snapped as Zelda turned the corner. Her mother always had an unreadable temperament. She never really could guess if she was about to explode or surprise her with a gentle demeanor.

"I'm going to search for Link," Zelda said determinedly, ready to fight. However, the fight never came. Her mother's eyes softened, and she titled her head in an expression of understanding.

"You know they won't let you. It would give them a heart attack if you demanded to go with them."

"Then I will go without them," Zelda replied. "I have my sword, and my powers. I can protect myself."

"Yes, but do you know how to start a fire when there's five feet of snow all around you? Do you know how to build a shelter if you were to get trapped out there? Do you know how to hunt and scavenge for food out in the wild if need be?" Her mother's voice was calm and steady, and did not bear the air of chastisement, but rather of wise concern.

"No… Well… I've read some books."

"Sweetheart, there's a big difference between reading a book about something than actually doing it." She cleared her throat before continuing. "I do not want to keep you locked up in here, but I will only give you my consent if you first convince a contingency of Royal Guards to accompany you. And I don't mean that you just order and boss them around until they do. I mean convince them to want to help you. I want you to prove to them that you are not some damsel in distress, but a brave princess, ready to do whatever is necessary for her kingdom. I want you to be wise, not reckless."

 _Damnit._ She always did have a way with words. "I will, mother. I promise I won't be reckless. We will stay within the borders of Hyule Field, and I will make sure I have a detachment of guards with me at all times. Should anything happen we won't be far from home, and will still have my powers. If everything goes smoothly, then we will see about expanding our search further at a better time."

Her mother smiled proudly. "I think that's a much wiser approach to the situation, don't you think?"

Zelda nodded, trying to suppress her reluctant grin. "I do. Thank you."

"Of course, my dear."

"Is there any news from the Citadel or any of the fronts?" Zelda asked before turning down the hallway.

"None. Lord Aron says that they have not spotted the enemy anywhere on the ocean, and warns us to strengthen our watch on the southern fronts in case they try to invade from the Necluda or Faron seas. Goddess knows when they will return."

"I pray that we can find Link before then," she replied despondently. Her mother placed an encouraging hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes.

"Have faith sweetheart. We have the goddesses on our side. I'm doing everything I can to prepare our kingdom for the coming war."

"I know… Thank you," she sighed.


	27. Torment

_**Warning:**_ _Things are going to get gruesome._

* * *

 _Chapter twenty-seven, Torment_

"You are quite the swordsman, Master Link," Ganondorf smirked. "Your equal spoke highly of your abilities. Although, that is to be expected, given your intended destiny."

While Link's dark reflection was brooding over a large selection of 'tools' to choose from, Ganondorf strode back over to his side and was examining him closely. Link could only see out of his right eye, since his left was so swollen and purple that he could not force his eyelid open. "Look at these worn and calloused hands," Ganondorf remarked, pulling Link's fingers open. "The clear signs of a well-practiced warrior. Perhaps this would be a good place to start." Link's reflection merely chuckled menacingly. With a snap of the finger, the two haunting specters came forth from the ground and began to unshackle Link's wrists. With the wound in his leg, and the blinding pain on his face, his weak struggle went unnoticed by the specters as the dragged him over to the nearby wooden table. While one held him down, the other began to pull his hand out, placing his open palm out, face down onto the table, and forced his fingers to spread out flat and wide. Link tried to curl his fingers, but the specter pinned his palm down so tightly, and pressed against his knuckles until his fingers grew red from blood having nowhere to go, preventing him from drawing them in. He tried desperately to pull away when he saw his dark reflection examine a large mallet, feeling its grip and weight with a satisfied grin.

"It would be rather hard and painful to hold a sword properly if your delicate fingers were… Injured."

"Don't you dare!" Link tried to threaten, but his idle threat fell unintimidating. Before he could even put up one last desperate fight, his dark equal brought the mallet down on his fingers with such force that the whole table jolted and shook. There was a loud cracking noise, which instantly sent a wave of excruciating pain to his brain, causing Link to scream unhindered. Two were down with the first strike, and so his reflection repositioned and then repeated the torturous procedure on his third, fourth, and fifth fingers, which were equally as painful. Link writhed and wept as the specters forced him down, and ripped his second hand out and placed it on the table. He was so consumed by the pain in his right hand that he did not even have time to process what was about to happen. That is, until he felt the swift hammer fall on his left hand's fingers, fracturing every bone and knuckle. Tears were pouring down his face as he helplessly wriggled and screamed all while his reflection deliberately broke each and every finger, one at a time. It was no accident that his reflection took extra 'care' to shatter each finger individually. It was in fact very intentional; he wanted his dominant hand broken beyond repair.

"Why!?" he cried in a half scream, half wail.

"There is something very specific I want to teach you, young master," Ganondorf said with a calculated sneer. With a wave of his hand the specters vanished in wistful puff of smoke, and left Link to collapse on the floor, cradling his hands in the crook of his torso. His fingers were already beginning to swell, bruise, and some were crooked in unnatural ways, each movement increasing the pain tenfold. Most of his nails were a dark red-purple color, and one of them was already missing. From his knees he rolled to his side and tried to kick away from Ganondorf and his dark reflection, but there was nowhere to go.

"I own you now, Master Link," Ganondorf continued. "You will give me what I want whether you consent or not. Everything that you have ever held dear, every skill you have learned and practiced, every hope, desire, and aspiration you have ever had belong to me now. And I promise you, we will take precious time to destroy each and every one!" Ganondorf violently surged forward and grabbed Link by his neck and pinned him against the wall that he was kicking over to. "Ever since you were a young knight-in-training," he began. "You were ahead of your class in almost every aspect. What you lacked in strength, you returned with intelligence and agility in double. You were regarded as one of the most skilled swordsmen in your kingdom, even going as far as defeating your spiritual predecessor―with some slight advantages of course." He reached out and grabbed Link's left hand and began to bend his fingers in way that they were never meant to bend. The pain was so intense that Link managed to muster enough strength through desperate adrenaline that he kicked Ganondorf in the groin with his uninjured leg, sending him stumbling back. Ganondorf laughed through his teeth, wincing from the pain but stood back up after a moment.

"You see, that's the one thing I can respect about you, Master Link. You're a fighter at heart. A machine. A weapon. You are just like me. You and I are the unwilling recipients of this damned curse!"

"What curse!?" Link wailed angrily, still limply crawling away.

"The curse that started this all! The curse that binds us together for all of eternity. Like you, I never asked for this! Perhaps my past incarnations did, but I do not!" Ganondorf moseyed over to the table and leaned against it, obviously still recovering from the swift kick. Link's reflection continued to nonchalantly examine the tools laid out before him with a devilish smile, paying no attention to the scene that was unfolding. "The spirit that lives within you, and the reincarnating hatred within me are locked in an eternal battle…"

"I… I don't understand," Link cried, clutching in hands to his chest.

"Do you know how this curse was born, Master Link?" Ganondorf asked with a crooked brow. He waited for an answer, but Link did not have one to give, and so he continued to explain. "Eons ago, your furthest ancestor received the same spiritual gift that you did when you were born. Hylia chose him to be her champion, and do battle with the ancient Demon King. And on the hour of the Old King's defeat, he placed a curse on the world, dooming those who possess the Blood of the Goddess, and the Spirit of the Hero to be forever haunted by his never-ending hatred incarnate."

"Why are you telling me this!?"

"Because I need you to understand," he said plainly.

"Understand what!?" Link retorted angrily.

"I need you to understand that this curse can be broken. I need you to understand that you are the key to unlocking the chains that bind us."

"And how do I do that?" Link barked mockingly. "Trust me, I would love to be broken from this hell!"

"You, need to do nothing. Only accept what is to come…" Link did not like the sound of it, as his reflection's ears perked up and he smiled with bright and maniacal eyes. He dared to ask what it was that he was going to accept, but he was sure he would find out soon enough. "Believe me," Ganondorf continued, pointing at Link's bare chest. "This will hurt much more for him, than it will for you."

Faster than a bolt of lightning, Link's dark equal surged forward and began to forcefully pull Link back to the iron shackles on the wall, laughing as Link whimpered and screamed in pain. He did not even have the strength to stand, and so by the time he was restrained, he helplessly hung by his wrists, slumped forward dejectedly. His reflection grabbed him by the hair and pulled his head up until he was looking into the creature's ruby eyes. The shadow smiled, and then drove something into the pit of his stomach. It was a sharp prick, and at first Link did not feel the pain, but when he finally managed to look down, he saw a long blade being pulled from his abdomen.

And then the pain came.

Goddess it was unbearable. Again, and again his reflection drove the blade into his stomach. He could feel it puncturing his internal organs, and blood began to pour out onto the floor. He was going to bleed out. For a moment the world around him went dark, but then he felt his head slammed back against the wall by a firm hand, and the light returned, seemingly through some dark magic.

"Oh no, no, Master Link. You're not allowed to pass out. You get to watch and feel every terrible moment of it. This is just the beginning."

The holes all melded into one, as each driving point only extended the area of pain inch by inch. Link couldn't breathe. All he could do was scream.

After what felt like an eternity, the shadow finally stopped stabbing him. There were countless holes, and each one oozed blood at an alarming rate. When Ganondorf finally let go of his head, releasing him from the magic that kept him awake, he almost fainted immediately. His face was white as snow, and he could feel his insides practically falling apart. Surely this was how he would die. However, the peace of death never came, as he was pulled from the brink of the darkness by a searing hot pain that covered his stomach. He opened his eyes to find that a fiery purple light was emanating from Ganondorf's hand which was hovering an inch away from his abdomen. When the spell was done, where there were once countless holes, white scars replaced them, still covered in blood.

"You didn't think I would let you die, did you?" Ganondorf asked with a menacing smirk. "Again," he ordered… And then the pain started all over again.

Link lost count of how many times they repeated the process, but as soon as he was on the brink of death, Ganondorf brought him back and healed his wounds and resupplied his body with blood, just so that they could start all over again. Sometimes his darkling would stab his stomach, other times it was his chest.

"Please," Link gasped in between sessions of merciless stabbing. "Please just kill me…"

"I can't do that Master Link," Ganondorf scoffed. "I need to keep you alive, otherwise all this planning will go to waste. And who knows if I will ever get this chance again." He smirked at Link's reflection before nodding to begin again.

At that point, he must have been stabbed hundreds of times. And yet, time and time again he was brought back from impending death to suffer the unthinkable pain. He thought he knew pain before, but now that every single second of his existence was agonizing, all previous wounds were nothing more than a scratch in his mind.

And then, it just stopped.

He could not even recall when they left. One minute they were with him, torturing him into madness, and then the next they were gone, and he was utterly alone, limply laying on the floor. The candle in the room barely burned, but it was just bright enough to see the puddle of blood nearby, which seemed to have been draining through a small grate in the stone floor. The front of his body and pants were covered in blood too, but the stab wounds were healed, and only light-colored scars were left behind. He could not count them, nor did he want to. All he wanted to do was to die. Or at least sleep.

 _Sleep,_ he thought faintly. It seemed like an abstract idea to him. How could he possibly sleep when his whole body ached, and both hands broken beyond repair. How could he sleep when even the slightest movement in the candle light caused him to jolt in fear? _When will they return?_ he wondered, trembling at the idea of what new torture they would bring. However, despite how jumpy he was, he was entirely too exhausted to even sit up, and so he just collapsed there on the stone floor, despondent and shattered. However, he thanked Hylia that his mother's necklace was still intact and hanging on his neck, and so using the palms of his hand, he tried to pull it over his head with no small amount of pain and struggle. He fought it for quite some time, but finally after a minute, he freed it and tucked it in a small crack in the grout of the corner stone of the room, hoping that they would not find such a small object in the dark so that it might stay safe. With his work complete he moved back against the wall and rested his body until sleep took him by force.

* * *

The wind was freezing. Fortunately, Zelda thought to bring a scarf to cover her mouth and nose with, and tucked it under her hood. It took a lot of heartfelt pleading with Link's friends to convince them to allow her to venture out in the hazardous weather with them, but she was glad to find that after some deliberate discussion, they unanimously decided to add her to the company. It was apparent that emotion had overridden their sense of knightly logic. It was a dangerous idea to allow the Princess to join them on their expedition, borderline idiotic, but she reassured them that she was more than a Princess now. She was the descendant of Hylia, as he mother was, and so it was her spiritual duty to seek out her Chosen Hero. It was destiny.

And destiny was not a topic taken lightly among the Hylian people. Dan and Liam, who were Link's closest friends while in Royal Guard training offered to be her personal escorts, and so they stuck by her side at every moment, no matter what. Jonathan also joined them, having received permission from the Queen to take up his post in Hyrule Castle now that he was deemed important personnel in the investigation of Link's disappearance. In addition to that five Royal Guards tagged behind, all of which knew Link at one point or another and had volunteered to search for him. Eight escorts in total, and yet Zelda still felt like there was something missing.

Really, she knew what was missing. She was missing the feeling of complete safety when Link was by her side. There was always an unexplainable sense of security when he was with her, even when they were attacked on the tundra of Mount Lanayru, she felt safe with Link, but now that he was gone she felt as if a piece of herself was missing. Her knight was missing, at it made her heart squeeze with fear.

"We're going to try to cut through Mabe Village and follow the western path to Hyrule Garrison," Liam shouted through the wind. "Jonathan says that it might be possible that he took a different path from Horwell Bridge due to the weather and may have taken refuge somewhere between here and there. We've already searched the roads between Mabe Ranch and Whistling Hill."

"At the very least, we might be able to find any indicators as to where he's gone," Dan added grimly. No one wanted to say it, but the indicator he spoke of could very well be a frozen corpse. Many knights who gave up the search days before certainly thought so, but still, Zelda and Link's closest friends continued the search, praying beyond prayers that they would find him camped out somewhere, possibly taking shelter from the storm that had passed. Zelda thought of hundreds of explanations as to why he could still be trapped out in the wild. Maybe he had injured himself, and so he dug-in and was waiting for rescue, or maybe he was safely tucked away at a nearby stable, waiting for better weather to travel the rest of the way to Hyrule Castle.

 _Goddess, please let him be alright,_ she did not want to even think about the possibility that maybe he had died. He could not have. It was his destiny to fight back Ganon alongside her. How would she ever do it without him? _No,_ she decided. He was alive, somehow, somewhere, and she would find him.

The snow was up to their chest's in most places, and so when the passed the cleared roads that workers had dug around the clock, they equipped themselves with wooden snowshoes, so that they could easily walk on top of the freshly fallen snow. The snowshoes were an ingenious design created by a Sheikah traveler that spent most of her time in the wild tundra of the far north, and so she developed the surprisingly simple idea to help her traverse the snow, eventually creating a patent for them, and began to sell them to cold and weary travelers. Zelda had quite forgotten the name of the Sheikah explorer, but she praised her, whoever and wherever she was.

The townsfolk of Mabe Village were a kind and hardworking people, and so they greeted the search party with warm smiles, and offered them hot drinks, which they accepted gratefully. The villagers were quite flustered when they found that their young Princess was among their numbers, and were a bit timid at first, but after finding that Zelda was very personable and compassionate, they warmed up to her quickly, declaring that ' _all Hylian's should, royal or not, should be welcomed with open arms, and warm fires when the winter sets in.'_

Zelda was pleased to find that the falsehoods about Link had not yet spread past to Mabe Village, as the villagers seemed quite touched by the search party's determination to find him, and assumed that he must be an extraordinary young man to deserve such dedicated friends, especially a Princess. During their brief break in the village, Zelda decided to take the time to explain in full detail what truly happened at the Akkala Citadel, praising Link's efforts, and warned them against the vile slander that had become synonymous with his name in Castle Town.

"Ganon is seeking to separate us from within," Zelda said to their enthralled hosts. "It is our duty to make sure these lies are put to rest. I hope that you will help me with this."

"Of course we will, my lady," an elderly and benign villager declared. "For anyone we receive, we will make sure they hear the truth!"

It was not much, but it put Zelda's heart at ease knowing that she could at least convince the gentle villagers of Mabe Prairie of Link's valiance. Castle Town, however, would be a whole other beast. _I'll think about that later,_ she decided as they suited up to continue their search.

Their expedition to the Hyrule Garrison passed uneventfully, finding neither Link, nor any sign pointing to where he had gone. Another day of futile searching had passed for the weary knights, and Zelda was exhausted after only one trip. Walking in snow was no easy task, and required her to bring her knee up much higher than normal, and so the straining walk in addition to the wet cold made her shiver uncontrollably, even in her Rito snow quill tunic. Still, she was determined to keep trying, and so the next morning they tried searching further Windvane Medow, and then further west towards Mount Daphnes. Again, they found no signs.

It began to feel as if she spent more time out in the miserable cold than she did at home, as they would start early in the morning after she practiced her swordplay―often with the other knights who searched with her―return for lunch, and then head back out and search until they ran out of sunlight. When they were not out searching as the sun set, Zelda would busy herself by sending correspondence to the surrounding garrisons and forts, desperately asking them to help extend their efforts in search of Link, to which she rarely received responses. Some return letters were even evasively written, as it was obvious that they would merely _try,_ but that they had better things to worry about. It made Zelda's blood boil, to the point that she threatened to herself that she would walk all the way to the senders' forts and personally give him a strongly worded addressing. However, she reminder herself that she need to keep her cool, for Link's sake.

Still, it did not help her sleep at night. She would toss and turn, mourning for her father, and worry about what had happened to her beloved knight to the point where all she could do was sit up half of the night reading any and every book that could even possibly reveal the identity of the three specters, or how she could wake MiarindÍl from hibernation. However, such things were too abstract and fanciful to find credible sources, and so she continued her futile search for answers.

 _Link,_ she would call out in prayer. _Please, if you're out there, come back. Somehow. Send me a sign, a message, anything._ She would never receive an answer, and so she would slip back into bed and wait until sleep took her―which usually came long after suppressed sobs.

* * *

" _Good morning my little lamb," Link's mother said with a beaming smile as she slaved away in the kitchen preparing breakfast._

" _Morning!" he responded in a cheery voice as he made his way to the door._

" _And where do you think you're going?" she asked with a debonair smile._

" _Mrs. Tamlin will need help with her Cuccos today, she usually likes to feed them a little after dawn."_

" _Come here," she replied with a sweet smile and beckoned him with open arms. She knelt as he ran over, and she cupped his cheeks with her soft hands. "You're looking older every day, little lamb," she said with an endearing smile._

" _I'm almost ten, mother," he added. "I won't be a little lamb forever you know."_

" _Well of course you will be, my love. Although you will grow up to be a big strong man like your father, you will always be my little lamb." She pulled the hair that hung loosely over his eyebrows back with a swift brush of the fingers, and then kissed him on the forehead._

" _Ok," Link sighed amusedly. "You can call me little lamb," he started, pointing with his finger with a grin. "But only when no one else is around, okay?"_

" _And why is that sweetheart?" she asked as her soft blue eyes flashed in the morning light of the kitchen._

" _Well, because I have to be tough," he exclaimed, beating his puffed-out chest. "If the other boys hear you call me little lamb, then they will think I'm weak and will try to beat me up. And I would rather not fight them." His mother's laughter was like a soft song to him._

" _Come now, sweetheart. Surely they're not that mean."_

" _Oh, they are mother! Trust me! The other knights are always teasing me, and pushing me around. If I cower, they push me around, if I try to fight they try to push me around. Anything they see me do is like some great crime. Its better if I slip by unseen. Its better if I shut up and stay disguised."_

" _Other knights?" she asked perplexedly._

"… _Yes…" It was strange now that he thought about it. Why did he say the other knights? "They hate me!" he cried. "No matter what I do, they will always hate me!"_

" _Little lamb, are you okay?"_ She disappeared like a soft mist in the breeze before he could even answer.

It was all a dream. It just felt so real, and yet it was overwhelmed with the troubles of his mind. Not even his dreams could be safe from himself. He never dreamed about his mother before. Until his darkling showed him the vision of his mother, he never even knew what she looked like. Now that he had, he almost wished he could forget what she looked like, because having her in his dreams was more painful than never having her at all. Was he going to be cursed with only ever knowing his mother in his dreams and nightmares? Would his mind torment him a twist her perspective of him?

"She really would have loved you," a voice said softly from the corner of the room. It sent all the hairs on the back of Link's head straight up.

"You can see my dreams?" Link asked as jolted up onto his elbows and began to kick back with a racing heart. His throat felt horribly dry, and his stomached ached for food, but he figured he would receive any relief from such basic necessities. The room still smelled horrible from the lack of access to _relieve_ his other basic necessities that he had to take the liberty of displacing abruptly in the middle of his restless sleep.

One positive note however is that he noticed that his injured thigh no longer had an open wound, but just beneath the semi translucent scared skin he could still see the ebony shard stuck in his leg. Apparently Ganondorf had healed his leg while he was sleeping, but decided to leave the shard in to torment him. The skin around the surrounding area was inflamed and tinted black, as if the veins beneath the surface were poisoned by the stone.

"No," Ganondorf responded coolly. "But he can." He pointed with his skinny finger just behind Link's shoulder. His heart nearly leapt out from his chest when he realized his dark reflection emerged from the shadow, hand still stealthily placed on his shoulder. Link managed to stand, but the moment he did, Ganondorf contorted his hand and ordered something in the guttural language of dark magic.

"Velcharvin!" In an instant the shard in Link's leg heated up, and sent a burning sensation through his thigh, crippling him, and he stumbled back limply. Link could not say for sure, but it looked like the corruption had spread ever so slightly. Link held his hands out to show his cooperation.

"By my count, I have taken two things from you, Master Link." He snapped his finger and two specters soon appeared and began pull him back to his restraints as he winced and yelped in pain. "Firstly, have taken away your ability to properly wield a sword," he said as he motioned to his disfigured and shattered fingers. "Even if they heal, they will forever be so disfigured that they will be of no use. True, I could have simply cut off your hands, but where's the fun in that? I want you to be able to feel the things that you will never be able to properly hold again." Ganondorf strode over to the table and placed down a leather tool roll, unfurling it with a satisfied grin. "And secondly, and arguably more important, I took away your mother. I allowed you to see her beautiful face, hear her gentle voice, and feel her warm embrace, and yet you will never meet her. She will forever be dead to you, nothing more than a deep rooted, and unanswered longing. A specter that will haunt you forever."

Ganondorf paused, still examining his _tools_ with a thoughtful eye. "I would ask what else you love, but I already know… But we will get to those things soon enough. I think that it is about time you receive a little reward for all your hard work and patience." The specters shackled him so that he was facing the wall, so that his bare back was exposed. "Now this won't kill you by any means, but it will hurt like hell."

Before Link could even dare to imagine what horrible torture device Ganondorf held in his hand he felt a terrible pain on his back. Whatever it was produced a loud cracking noise as it ripped through the air and tore his skin. It took two or three strikes for him to realize what it was; it was a whip. Link had only ever seen a whip used once in his life on another Hylian. It was during his last year of basic training, when a fellow student was found guilty of raping a local village girl, and so he was punished by forty lashes, excommunication from any prospects of knighthood, and sentenced to five years in prison. It was an awful display, but they were all forced to watch, so that they would know the price for such a heinous crime. However, unlike the leather single-stemmed whip that they had used, the one in Ganondorf's hand was a multi-tailed, and metal tipped whip, which worked to devastating effect. Link could feel every barb dig into his skin and tear large horizontal openings. He tried his best to not scream, as he did not want to give him the satisfaction of hearing him, but with every strike he felt his will power slipping away. When he fell to his knees, being held up only by his shackles, Ganondorf increased his pace and struck harder.

"Stand!" He screamed. Link did not comply, and so he stepped forward and began to wail on his back as fast and as hard as he could until Link finally stood. By the time he was done Link was trembling from the pain, unable to stand on his own. His shackles were released, and he collapsed on his side, trying his best to catch himself. He could barely breath through the heart racking sobs. The door closed and locked behind him, but he did not care. He was just glad that they were gone. He laid dormant on the ground for what seemed like an hour, but in all honesty, he had no track of time. Had he been there for one day, or two? He could not say for sure, nor did he want to think about it.

By the time he gathered enough will power to move he propped himself up on his elbows and knees and hobbled forward towards the table, hoping to see if they had left the roll of tools, so that he might find a weapon to defend himself. However, all he found was a platter.

 _Food._ His ravenous hunger gave him enough strength to get his elbows up onto the table, and pull himself up to his feet. On the platter was a small clay cup of water, and some brown colored lump of― _something._ He held it in his palms, avoiding all contact with his fingers to prevent anymore excruciating pain and began to nibble on it. It tasted like moldy bread. After a few bites he realized that it was in fact moldy bread. Another insult to injury. Still, his primal need for food took over and he began to sink his teeth into it, using his mouth more as a utensil than his own hands. The water he drank from tasted funny, and after two gulps, he began to cough as his throat began to seize up. He coughed painfully before continuing to drink a little slower, which seemed to help considerably, but it did not help the awful taste.

After eating and drinking he found that it only made him want to eat and drink more, but he licked every crumb of the platter with his dry tongue, and drank every drop of water in the cup. With his 'meal' finished he dropped down from the table and crawled over to the corner of the stone room and curled up on his side, desperately trying to stay warm while avoiding laying on his back.

And there he sat for hours on end. Every inch of his body hurt like it had never hurt before. He looked at his fingers with hopeless tears as the shook uncontrollably. Was Ganondorf right? Would he ever be able to hold a sword again? If he was going through all this trouble to break the cycle, then why not just kill him? That would mean he would win, right? Why was he toying with him? The pain in his leg throbbed without end, and every time he would move it, it would tweak a certain way and cause him to grimace in pain. His abdomen, while healed, was so sore that it cramped and tightened almost constantly, and the fresh wounds on his back began to dry up into long inflexible scabs that cracked every time he moved.

If he was not a complete and useless failure before, he would be now. If ever even did make it out alive, he would be about as helpful as a cripple. He could barely walk, he would never be able to use a sword, and at the rate at which he was supposedly going to be fed, his muscles would be eaten away to survive, and all that would be left would be a boney frame too weak to do anything useful.

 _I'm sorry…_ he said in the ether, hoping to reach anyone that he disappointed.

After being eaten, beaten, tortured, and starved, his body was in shock and was unsure of what to even do. Even his once proud golden hair was tattered and began to become matted as the dried saliva from the Leviathan mixed with the dirt around him, making it a knotted and foul-smelling mess. Everything about him and around him reeked. However, his hygiene was the least of his problems, he had to worry about how he was going to survive, or escape. However, the more he thought about it however, the more frustrated he became. What could he even do? With broken hands, a leg that could not even hold him up, much less walk, and the excruciating pain he was under how could he ever hope to escape. The specters would hunt him down before he could even get out of the room, and even if he did make it out of the room where would he go? How would he get back to Hyrule? Ganondorf used his magic to get him into the Phantom Realm, so how would he get back by his own volition?

In addition to all this, the Master Sword was still missing. He wondered if it was still in Hyrule, as he recalled dropping it as he was flown away by the specters. Then he wondered if Ganondorf had it, and intended to lock it away forever? What good would a Chosen Hero be if the sword that chose him was gone?

His heart was tone apart by grief and shame. He failed to complete his _one_ simple task. His previous apprehensions had proven to be right. He would be an utter failure. And yet, there was the faintest plea within himself to keep going, the desperate calling to action. He made his blood-oath, and he was determined to at least see to doing all that was in his power to fulfill it, even if it only meant unbearable torture.

And so, his train of thought returned to escape. Given his current circumstance, he thought that maybe he should wait for his best opportunity to present itself, as it was obvious Ganondorf did not want him dead, he could at least not worry about that.

 _And so, I wait,_ he though reluctantly before trying to get some sleep. He found that his exertions since his last beating had drained him of what little energy he had, so it was not a surprise when he only snapped out of sleep a few times when his muscles cramped uncontrollably. It was when he had fallen asleep for the third time that another dream came to him.

 _Link felt someone tug at the corner of his tunic. When he looked down he was surprised to see a golden-hair girl looking up at him. Link's heart melted in his chest when she looked into his eyes and smiled._

" _Father," she said. "Are you alright?"_

" _Father?" he scoffed with furrowed eyebrows. The little girl giggled, thinking that he was starting off in another tangent of his self-amused humor._

" _Mother says you get to put me to bed tonight," she said, ignoring his question with a mischievous smile. "Carry me?" she asked, extending her arms up. Her voice was so small and endearing that Link felt it impossible to deny her request, and so he stooped down and picked her up by her armpits. She could not have been more than seven years old. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head in the crook of his neck._

 _Even though he knew the child was not his, he had an undeniable, and quite frankly overwhelming feeling in his heart. Goddess, it felt as if she was always his, and he loved her unconditionally, but how could he ever be a good father? Maybe in this dream he was a good father. Maybe in this dream he was a man of honor, who did not fail to uphold every promise he ever made. Maybe in this dream he was not the most hated knight in his own kingdom. None of that mattered now. The precious child that he held in his arms was his, and he held her tighter in his arms._

" _Where is your room?" he asked, hiking her up a little further in his arms. The child shot him a wry smile. She certainly was expressive for such a young girl._

" _Father, is this another one of your silly games?" she asked with a toothy grin. Link could not help but smile and chuckle. He would do anything for this gift in his arms._

" _Just humor me, little lamb," he said naturally._

" _Down the hallways and to the left," she said as she pointed her finger to a moonlit hallway. "Now hurry," she said jokingly with a giggle. "I'm getting cold."_

" _Oh yes ma'am," he replied in an orderly voice, playing along with her well-humored nature. As she instructed, he walked down the hallways and took the first left, which led to a small door. The room was completely dark except for the moonlight and a dimly lit fireplace. There was a small bed in the corner of the room, and so he placed the sweet child into it after pulling back the sheets._

" _Now, are you all comfortable, little lamb?" he asked with a smile._

" _Yes," she sighed with a satisfied grin._

" _Alright. Then go to sleep. I'll be nearby if you need me." His words and actions felt like instinct at this point, as if it was second nature to him._

" _Wait!" the child cried. "You have to tell a story first."_

" _About what?"_

" _About when you were young. Something exciting!" Link cleared his throat and began to think with a deep 'hmm.'_

" _How about I tell you about the time I met a princess?" The child's expression shifted in a confusing grin. Link did not understand what the expression exactly meant, but she did not stop him. "Well, when I was only a little older than you are now, I used to watch over my neighbor's cuccos."_

" _Mrs. Tamlin?" she asked as if she already knew the answer. Link was a little taken back for a moment, but he eventually nodded._

" _Have you already heard this story? I could tell another," he said, wanting to make the sweet child happy._

" _No, please. I like this one!"_

" _Very well. Anyways, there was this mean old nasty dog that used to come around and try to eat the poor little cuccos, and so it was my job to stop him with my trusty stick. But one day, the dog lunged out and snapped my stick in half." Link used his open hand to imitate an open mouth, and began to 'chomp' down on the child's stomach. She laughed and squealed with delight. "When I tried to run into the pen to safety, the mean dog followed me in and set chase to all the poor little birds. You would not believe how many feathers there were that went flying all over the place!_

" _Well, eventually the dog pinned the fattest cuccos of the bunch in the corner, and so I picked up fat Gus, and bolted out of the gate, and ran as fast as I could to Market Square! That was when I tripped and dropped poor Gus. And then a young girl picked him up and tried to kindly return Gus to me, but then the dog came and attempted to attack her. And so, I did my best to stand in the way to stop the dog, and it jumped on top of me._

" _It nearly got me until a Royal Guard killed it with his spear. And that was when a wise king came an introduced himself and his daughter. The little girl that picked up poor old Gus was none other than the Princess of Hyrule Kingdom." A bright smile stretched across the girl's lips, as she anticipated the rest of the story as if she had never heard it before. "You would not believe my surprise when I realized that I had save the Princess. I suppose that's why the King appointed me to protect her when I grew much older."_

" _I wish I could have met grandpa," the girl blurted out with a sigh._

" _Grandpa!?" he spouted in shock._

" _Sweetheart, go to bed. We have a lot to do in the morning, and your father needs rest." The voice at the threshold of the door behind him sent shivers down his spine, and for a moment he was completely frozen. Goddess she was more beautiful than he remembered. She was admittedly a little older than he remembered, but undoubtedly more stunning. He could not help but gape at the living personification of grace that stood before him. Zelda beckoned for him to leave the room, which he did, completely entranced by her gaze. When the door was closed she looked at him with a perplexed, but amused expression._

" _What is it sweetheart?" Just the word 'sweetheart' sent his head and heart spinning. The emotion that ravaged his chest was so raw, and so pure that he could barely control himself._

" _Are you really mine?" he gasped, practically glowing red. Zelda only laughed, and pulled her hair up and over her ear. "Is she really mine?" he asked, pointing to the door, feeling faint._

" _Of course," she said almost in a scoff, as if she were playing along with some joke. Seeing that Link did not move, and was not convinced, she abruptly stepped forward and pressed her lips on his in a long, passionate kiss. "Does that prove it?" she asked with a flirty smile. It was as if all the air in his lungs had left all at once, and his heart beat so loudly that he thought she would surely hear it. Link could feel something inside of himself urge him forward, but he tried to stop it. He tried to tell himself it was all a dream, but when she grabbed his hand and led him down the hallway with a mischievous grin, he was completely under her spell. No amount of self-chastising would stop him now. The desires in his heart were primal and uncontainable._

 _She kissed him again once they were in their room, and sauntered over to the bed all while shooting him knowing smiles, flashing her emerald eyes as if daring him to enter. Before he even realized it, his hands were on her hips and the curve of her back, dangerously low. Her body was against his, and for a moment the world around him faded away as he stooped down to kiss her._

However, he never got the chance. There was a painful kick to his stomach, and he lurched back, returning to the real world where he was a prisoner of the evil he swore to destroy, battered, broken, and useless. He was back in the world where he was a scorned knight who would never be able to fulfill his deepest, and long held desires. The desires that he denied and buried for so many years, cursing himself crassly for his weakness.

"Gotcha!" Ganondorf shouted. "Of course, I already knew, but it was nice to hear it firsthand. You really are quite the scandalous little knight aren't you, Master Link?"

"Why do you care!?" Link cried.

"I care because you do!" he retorted in a mocking scoff. "If it's any consolation, I thought about letting you finish that dream, however things were getting a little to―how should I put this? _Lekvitone._ "

"What does that mean?" Link sneered, still gathering his composure.

"Wouldn't you like to know, young master," Ganondorf responded with a menacing grin. "Besides, we have work to do." Like always, he snapped his fingers, and the two specters emerged from the ground, and chained Link to the wall with no regard to his injuries, however this time they stayed on each side of him, unwavering.

"You've always wanted children I assume?"

Link did not answer, but his dark reflection betrayed him. "Oh yes. He does. You should have seen the way he doted on the child in the dream I gave him." Link shot a pointed a sharp and angry glower at his darkling, flaring his nostrils as if it were a silent threat.

"Good. And I think we all know who he wishes to impregnate, so I will not beat around the bush." From his tool kit, Ganondorf produced a short-curved dagger which shined in the dim candle light. "I will be blunt with you, Master Link. Say goodbye to those long-sought desires." Before Link could even begin to kick and fight his way out with every ounce of strength he possessed, the two specters on each side of him pinned his arms and legs against the wall with otherworldly strength.

"Don't you dare!" he screamed, writhing, and contorting as Ganondorf approached with a wry smile. "So help me, Ganondorf, I will find a way to bring you equal pain!" Ganondorf's eyes were as sharp as the dagger he held in his hand and he opened his mouth, revealing his white teeth and he practically growled his next words.

"I told you. You are to call me Master."

Ganondorf made quick, but messy work of it, and all Link could do was scream and cry until he felt light headed. It was the first time he was allowed to pass out, but that was only because Ganondorf was―occupied. He was quickly brought back however, so that he could endure the pain to the fullest extent.

"Don't worry," Ganondorf reassured him. "I won't let you bleed out. Other than some _minor_ difficulties, you will be more than capable of living a full life once we're done here."

"Please… just make it stop," Link begged in between his desperate and fevered breaths.

"I told you Link. I promised that I would take away everything you ever loved, everything you ever desired. I promised that I would not stop until it was done."

"Goddess, please… Just…"

"Tomorrow, Link. Tomorrow I think you will be ready." After healing him just enough to close the wound, but not take away the pain, Ganondorf and his entourage dispersed, leaving Link to wallow in agony alone. Even though there was food left out for him he made no attempt to retrieve it as he was so emotionally and physically destroyed that all he could do was lay there, and cry without relief. Sleep never came for him, nor did it want it to come, as he was terrified of the dreams―which were now nightmares―that his reflection would give him. Of all the horrible things they had done to him, robbing him of manhood was just too much for him to comprehend. He felt empty, and yet completely filled with anger, shame, regret, and sadness all at the same time. Everything that had transpired since he had arrived was far worse than death. As Ganondorf promised, he took everything from him. He gave him his mother, and then took her away. He took away the one thing he could do right, and that was wield a sword, and now he took away his chance to have children, with anyone for that matter. It did not even matter if the world was perfect after that and he could be with Zelda, he would never be enough. He could never provide a family for her, or any woman.

If he did not truly know it before, he knew it now. He truly was nothing more than an empty vessel, devoid of purpose and desire. He was a machine.

* * *

 **Author's notes:** I'm so so sorry for the incredibly late post. I was working 12 hour shifts at my job past few days, and a research project due. Anyways, things should start to go back to normal hopefully. This chapter is slightly shorter than usual, but that was because I did not want to have an information overload dumped on you guys and gals.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and have a blessed week!


	28. A Wish Fulfilled

**_Authors note:_** Just wanted to say that you guys and gals are awesome, and I appreciate the constant support! Enjoy this next chapter please!

* * *

 _Chapter twenty-eight, A Wish Fulfilled_

"What was Link like when he was much younger?" Zelda asked as she sat down by makeshift campfire that she and Jonathan had built under a large oak tree. He was still a little out of breath after he and the other knights finished shoveling a small area free of snow, but their efforts were well worth it. Normally, such a personally question would have made any loyal knight apprehensive, as they were trained to maintain a vigil and guarded tongue in the presence of their monarchs, but after going out into the wild every day, the Princess and the knights that escorted her grew to trust one another. The knights were of course always proper and polite, but still they showed much more emotion freely than Link ever had done after their unfortunate estrangement when they were younger.

"Very much like he is now; fiercely loyal to a fault," Jonathan began with a kind smile. "Although he was much louder. Rowdy even. And he was never afraid to speak his mind."

Zelda's heart squeezed, thinking back to their long nights on the bridge between her room and tower study when he shared his mind freely. It seemed like a bygone age at this point. _Fifteen,_ she thought. _How naïve I was._ Seeing that Jonathan was a little confused by her silence, she stirred herself from deep thoughts and continued speaking.

"I suppose I saw a little bit of that when we were much younger," she explained, making no small effort to be evasive. "Knighthood changed him a lot it seems."

"Knighthood changes us all, my lady," Jonathan said cryptically. "Although, I have to agree. He was certainly changed by the experience, more so than some…" There was a long and sad pause in their conversation, and soon the few knights that were still dedicated to ensuring the Princess' safety and continued search for Link joined them by the fire.

"How is your training going, my lady?" Liam asked as he sat down opposite of her after a polite bow of the head.

"It's going well. My arms aren't sore after practice anymore, and I feel much more confident with a sword than I did before. I think I could very well hold my own should the occasion arise." There was a slight trill of pride in her last statement. It was true, she had grown quite accustom to using a sword now, although it was much more centered on self-defense than anything else. Still, she felt that she earned her right to carry her trusty short sword with pride. Besides, her contingency of guards was rather impressed by her tenacity, and openly encouraged her to improve her skills. Now that she was escorted by other knights, Zelda began to recognize the one fault she disliked about Link's protection. He never would have encouraged her carry a sword, or taught her how build a fire. In fact, he would have openly discouraged her from doing anything that would have remotely been considered outside of the 'norm' for someone of her status. In his blind ―no matter how well-intended― pursuit to keep her safe, he insisted on doing everything himself, all while reassuring her of what was 'proper.' Regardless, it did not matter now. All that mattered was that she found him. And at the rate they were going, even she could not continue to deny the forthcoming reality; they may never find him. It made her heart beat heavy and strained.

"That's good," Dan added cheerily as he stretched out his hands to warm them by the fire. "I think with everything that is going on, it is wise for you to be able to defend yourself by any means necessary, my lady."

"I'm glad you agree," Zelda replied. "I grew restless feeling like I had nothing to offer. Luckily, my mother seems to also agree, although she is very quick to remind me of the fine line between bravery and recklessness." Jonathan chuckled lightly with distant eyes, as if her words sparked a memory in his head.

"That was a thin line that Link crossed dangerously often when we were children, my lady," he offered as an explanation to his amusement. "He had quite the knack for getting into trouble, often through no fault of his own."

"He told you about the first time we met in Market Square, didn't he?" Zelda asked, humoring the lighthearted nature of the conversation.

"Yes, my lady. He wrote to me about it long after it happened, back when I was still training at the Citadel."

"So I see." There was a brief pause, until Jonathan continued.

"How long did you know, my lady?" he asked with a tilted head.

"Know what?"

"That he was to be the next Chosen Hero, my lady?"

"Well," she sighed, thinking back on the matter. "My father knew something was amiss the first time he met him after he saved me in Market Square. He later told me that he could see something dreadfully familiar in his eyes. I suppose he had more understanding of the matter than anyone." Again, there was a pause in the conversation as their passing thoughts turned to the late king. "As the years went by, he grew more and more sure of Link's true destiny, and eventually he even heard the Master Sword call to him. That was when my father appointed him to be my Royal Escort."

"If he knew all along, why did he not give him the Master Sword sooner?" Liam asked with furrowed, but genuinely curious eyebrows.

"All he ever said was that it was not time. He told me that the Master Sword would chose when and where…" She shuddered slightly and pulled her cloak around her, but it was not the cold that made her shake. The knights around her seemed to have read her invisible language, and did not inquire further into the issue, which she was grateful for. The sudden turn in mood resulted in a much quieter break than usual, as each individual seemed absentminded and distracted. That was until Dan looked up into the overcast sky and squinted his eyes.

"That Rito courier sure seems in a rush," he blurted. Sure enough, well above them there was a teal colored Rito messenger who was soaring across the sky, heading straight to Hyrule Castle with all the speed he or she could muster.

"Where do you think he's coming from?" Zelda asked with a slight sense of worry.

"It looks like he's heading in from the Necluda region, my lady. Although there's no way to say for sure."

It did not take long for the Rito to reach Hyrule Castle, and from what Zelda could see, the Rito seemed to have bypassed Castle Town and reached the upper levels of the Castle immediately. Whatever news he or she brought must have been dire.

"Gentlemen, I believe it would be best if we returned to the castle. I think there is something wrong." They all collectively agreed, and began breaking down their camp with well-practiced efficiency. With their snowshoes back on their feet, they began to make the arduous return trip to Hyrule Castle with a brisk but consistent pace. They could not have been walking for more than thirty minutes when Liam spotted the same teal Rito messenger, peak over the walls and take flight.

"The messengers heading this way," he announced after closely examining its flight path. They subconsciously increased their pace to a slow jog until the courier brought herself before them, as Liam had predicted.

"Princess Zelda," the Rito female called out. Zelda walked to the front of the line and nodded. "Hateno Village is under attack from the sea."

"What!?" she gasped.

"It began no longer than three hours ago. I first flew to Fort Hateno to warn the commander there, and then I took word to the Queen. She ordered me to find you out here in Hyrule Field to warn you. She requests that you return to the castle immediately."

"Yes, of course, thank you… eh."

"Arilvin, my lady."

"Thank Arilvin. I will return immediately."

With a gust of wind, the courier left in a flurry of feathers and headed northeast, towards the Akkala and Lanayru regions. Without saying a word, the company set out through the thick snow again, and jogged as fast as their heavy legs could carry them until they reached the southern gate of Castle Town. Zelda sighed with relief through her short breaths as she came to find that a horse already waited for her there, and so she kicked off her snowshoes and mounted her horse. She galloped through Castle Town as fast as she could while still being mindful of the busy streets so that she would not run into anyone. Now that she thought about it, it was the first time that she had ever ridden outside of the castle alone. In a way it was exhilarating as she left her knight escorts behind on foot. _I'll be fine,_ she reassured herself as she made her way to the Castle's front gate. She had to pull her hood back before the guards even recognized her and let her in.

Already the castle courtyard was busy with activity as all nearby couriers and military personnel were bustling about, preparing to reinforce their southern borders. She was relieved when she found her mother in the Castle War Room with Commander Varin, Captain Kerrigan, and a number of Lieutenants.

"Zelda," she called with a calm but noticeably urgent voice. "Any luck out there today?" she asked with no small amount of disbelief. Her lips thinned when Zelda despondently shook her head. "I'm sure things will work out," she sighed. "We have other things to worry about right now." The Queen returned to the map that was laid out on the wooden table at the center of the room and began to address the whole assembly. "According to Arilvin's report, Ganon's men have anchored not far off of the Neculda as have sent landing parties to Loshlo Harbor and Hateno Bay. They formed into a two-pronged approach, and swarmed around the village from two fronts. Now, the snow in that region is not nearly as deep as it is here, so they have superior troop movement capabilities until the come to Fort Hateno. We have already lost the battle for Hateno Village, so we will blockade their advance from Fort. I have already sent word to Kakariko Village and the Great Plateau to reinforce the fort from the north and west passes, and with any luck there will be a sizable force to halt Ganon's attack."

"What about the men in the Citadel, your grace?" Commander Varin budded in. "Should we pull men from Akkala and send them south?"

"No. Until we are certain that the entirety of Ganon's forces are on the Necluda Sea, we cannot risk pulling our men from such an important position. No, we will request aid from King Sidon, who has already expressed his eagerness to help our cause. I believe that with the natural bottle neck that the mountain pass to Fort Hateno will provide, we can form a strong enough resistance to prevent them from coming any further into the main land. That is unless you have a better strategy Commander."

Commander Varin pondered her plan carefully, and studied the map with hawk like intensity. "I believe it is our only option, your grace. My only concern is logistics. With this forsaken weather, I fear that our forces will not be able to reach Fort Hateno in time to reinforce it."

"That is unless you send all available force from the East Post across Proxim bridge," Zelda suddenly blurted. The assembly shot surprised glances at her, but allowed her to explain. "If you employ a rolling tactic, where the entirety of the East Post forces cut through the Dueling Peaks pass, the men from the Plateau can quickly fill the vacant positions at the East Post, and then men from the rear can take up their posts at the Plateau. I have been in constant communication with the southern outposts, so that they can alert me if they found any information on Link's whereabouts. I know from their reports, as reluctant as they are to give them, that they keep Proxim bridge and the pass clear of snow. I believe that the first initial wave of reinforcement will be enough to hold the invaders until King Sidon can arrive with his forces."

A smart smile stretched across Commander Varin's lips as he considered the validity of her idea. "I believe that you have inherited your parent's uncanny wit, my lady. With the information you've given us, I think that we can have confidence in this plan." He turned to address the Queen. "With your permission, your grace, I will send word to East Post and take my leave immediately. I will need all the speed we can muster to reach Fort Hateno in time."

"Of course, Commander. May Hylia smile down upon you."

"Thank you, your grace." Commander Varin and Captain Kerrigan bowed and left, beckoning for their subordinates to clear the room. Now that the room was empty save the Queen and Princess, Zelda's mother collapsed into an ornate armchair with an exhausted sigh. Zelda rarely saw her mother this tired, as she was usually proficient at hiding it, but her heart was racked with pity as she massaged her eyes. She had been working around the clock trying to prepare the kingdom for the long winter and coming war. Zelda sat down beside her and grabbed onto her hand in hopes of encouraging her, or at least sharing her sympathies. Zelda too felt exhausted. Between the freezing expeditions and the sleepless nights, her eyes were just as droopy and tired.

"So you have found no signs of him," she asked again much quieter and more melancholy.

"No… I'm sorry." Her mother moved her fingers away from her face and her eyes softened.

"Don't be sorry sweetheart. It's not your fault. I know you're doing everything you can."

"Its… It just that I feel like I'm missing something. I don't know what to do anymore." Her eyes began to feel wet, but she brushed the feeling away with a red-nosed sniffle. "We go out there every day, and every day we come back with nothing new to offer. I can't help but feel likes there's something I'm not seeing or understanding. What if Link is trapped somewhere and needs my help, but I don't even have the faintest idea where he is?" Her mother pulled back a strand of hair past her ear and rubbed her swollen cheek, just under the eye, with her thumb.

"Sweetheart, I know it's hard. I can't pretend I have the answers. But you just have to keep trying something. Anything. I pray every night and morning that you will find him. I pray because I need him, and our people need him just as much as you need him. Don't lose hope."

"I won't give up, if that's what you're worried about," she said in a half chuckle, half sniffled whimper.

"Of course not," she whispered with a sigh. "Why don't you go warm up and eat. We have work to do."

"What type of work?" she asked curiously.

"I need your help in preparing the townsfolk for a long and treacherous winter. It won't be long until we start dipping into out winter food stores. Add a war onto that, and I'm afraid to admit that even _I_ am little swamped."

Zelda smiled encouraging and kissed her mother's cheek. "Of course, mother. I would be happy to help you." Her mother's infectious smile was reward enough.

* * *

"Drink," Ganondorf ordered as he shoved the mug of water to his lips. "I don't need you dying of dehydration." Link sputtered and coughed, but after a painful jab or two, he accepted the water, and drank greedily. His dried and cracked lips desperately soaked up the much-needed moisture.

"You smell awful," Ganondorf sneered with flared nostrils.

"And whose fault it that?" Link retorted with sour indignation. His sly remark was met with a blinding fist to his cheek. Another pain shy in comparison to the pain of his hands, back, stomach, chest, thigh, and groin.

"You will watch your tongue and address me with due respect." When Link did not agree, he reached out and gripped onto his fingers, giving them a blunt twist. Link grimaced and sucked in air through his teeth, but did not scream or yelp. "Now! With respect!"

"…"

"Link," Ganondorf shouted over his shoulder to the dark shadow that leaned against the back wall with a conniving smile. "Hand me an iron." As silently as the grave, Link's darkling strode over to the table and picked up a long iron rod which had a blunt tip. The creature handed it to Ganondorf, who began to chant something inaudibly. After a quick verse, he ran his hand over the tip of the iron rod, and soon it began to glow with bright yellow heat.

"One more time, I will ask."

Link obstinately said nothing, and so Ganondorf pressed the end of the rod against his chest, and began to sear the skin underneath. The smell alone was enough to make him want to vomit. Link could not hold in his screams that time.

"How will you address me from now on!?" He yelled as he pressed harder.

"Master," Link finally gasped, chest heaving for air.

"Good! Now let's continue. Do you know exactly what lives within you, Link?" Ganondorf asked.

"…The Spirit of the Hero," he droned in response.

"And who is this spirit?" Link did not move. Why should he? What more could he possibly take away from him. All he could do was torture him, but he was going to do it anyways, so what was the point of even trying to determine the answer. With a silent motion of his arm, Link's darkling brought his master another tool. Suddenly, a wooden bat struck the side of his head and busted a small opening on his ear below the lobe, but it was a minor inconvenience in comparison to the rest of his body.

"I don't know," he yelped after he shook off the ringing sensation.

"Do they not teach you history in your kingdom? Did they not teach you anything about the first of your spiritual predecessors?" he scoffed.

"We lost most of the ancient texts about the earliest Chosen Heroes during the Calamity attack," Link whimpered.

"Very well," Ganondorf snorted as he cleared his throat to explain an ancient story. "Long before the goddess Hylia assumed a mortal form, she was declared to be the golden goddesses' chosen guardian of the earth. She parted her grace and blessings upon the land in accordance to her duties. That is until the Demon King Demise arose from the depths of the earth and sought to take the world by force. She took her precious little subjects skyward where they would be safe, and then declared war on the Demon King on the surface below. She did not perform this task alone, however, in fact she chose for herself a worthy champion to fight alongside her, who bore a sword of unmatched quality, and together they sealed the Demon King away in a war the likes of which had never been seen.

"However, her champion perished from his wounds in battle, and so she gathered the fragments of his passing soul and safeguarded them until they could reform. Once his spirit was made whole, she instructed his spirit to choose a worthy recipient of his strength and courage when the seal that held the Demon King prisoner began to break, so that he could live vicariously through his chosen vessel and once again fight back the evil. That was when Hylia gave up her immortality, and reincarnated as a mortal Hylian woman and began the royal bloodline."

"Why are you telling me this?" Link murmured without even looking up. Ganondorf struck him in the ribs with the wood bat hard enough that Link was certain that he broke at least two ribs.

"I am not finished!" he shouted. After Link caught his breath, Ganondorf continued. "And so, a few thousand years passed, and sure enough, the Demon King's seal began to break. That was when The Spirit of the Hero chose his first victim, and the goddess Hylia reincarnated as a golden-haired girl, so that they could seal the evil away once again. To aid his quest, The Chosen Hero was gifted the sword once wielded by the spirit that posed him, and after many trials and tribulations, that sword was imbued with great sacred powers and ascended to a higher form, eventually forming into the Master Sword with the blessing of Hylia's incarnation.

"With the full potential of the Master Sword met, and the Chosen Hero finally deemed worthy, your spiritual ancestor fought against the Demon King Demise, and successfully defeated him. On the hour of his fall, seeing that he had lost, Demise placed the cyclical curse of reincarnation on the world before being drawn into the Master Sword, where the last remaining remnants of his consciousness would wither away." There was a long pause in Ganondorf's story as he shifted his gaze and tilted his head. "That accursed sword you were chosen to carry is more than just a weapon. It is a prison. It is Demises' prison. A fragment of his being still lives inside that sword."

Link's heart dropped to his stomach when his mind began to process all the information he had been given over the past few days. "… You mean to free him?" Link asked timidly.

"Yes," he replied with a devilish smirk.

"But I thought you wanted to break the cycle," Link dared to gape.

"Oh we will. Once everything falls into place, we will end the cycle, and the world will be ours to control."

"Then why haven't you killed me? Why do you waste your time torturing me?" Link asked with a trembling voice.

"Like I said. You are the key to breaking this chain. And once I extract that key, you will be free to go and wallow peacefully in the filth and loneliness of this accursed realm. I will even allow you to return to your home once the world is ours."

"I don't understand," Link admitted with no small amount of anguish.

"You will in time," Ganondorf said ambiguously. With a wry smirk he turned away and addressed the red-eyed reflection that waited patiently by the door. "Link. I believe that your equal deserves a reward for all of his hard work. Shall we part with him one last gift before we proceed? Something that he's wished for. Something that will help him when he returns home." Link's darkling smiled as he pushed away from the wall that he leaned on.

"Well," he derided. "I very specifically recall him wishing he was born a mute, so that his tongue would not betray him." A hiss-like laughter emanated from the creature's mouth, but his lips barely moved. Link noticed the darkling's eyes blink for the first time, and while he could not explain it, it was an unsettling sight.

"Excellent suggestion! I suppose you really do know our little hero better than anyone else. Will you help me?"

"Yes, Master… Would like a blade?" Link began to pull against his restraints in a frantic and desperate attempt to escape. He was not about to let them cut off another― _thing._

"Ah, no. I have a spell that will do just fine. I think he would appreciate being able to feel his fully functional tongue in his mouth, but be incapable of speaking, don't you agree? Grab those tongs."

"Please," Link begged with a helpless whimper. "Please! No more!"

" _tsk tsk tsk._ It's what you wished for young master. I plan to deliver on that wish!" His tone was twisted and mocking as a smug grin stretched across his face.

Link tried to clamp his jaw shut, but they forced it open and latched onto his tongue with a foul tasting rusty pair of tongs and pulled it out from his mouth. Ganondorf began to chant in a long-winded verse as he cut a small incision on his and allowed a drop of blood to fall on Link's tongue. Goddess, it was bitter. It tasted like an acidic liquid that threatened to burn a hole straight through his tongue. However, it never did, and after a moment the pain dissipated, and they released him.

"Now! Tell me how you feel?"

Link opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His heart beat in a panic and he tried to force the words out, but they were caught in the back of his throat, and would not come out. All he could manage to do was make frightening grunting and moaning noises which were throaty and guttural.

"Perfect! Think of it as another thing we can add to the list that I've taken away from you. Now are you ready for the fun part?"

 _The fun part!?_ Link tried to yell, but only an undisguisable moan came forth from his lips. Ganondorf snapped his fingers and then the two recurring specters appeared on each side of him, and then the door opened. From its threshold stepped forth the third specter, and in its arms, was clutched a weapon all too familiar to Link. His heart raced quicker as the three specters congregated around their master, and handed him the Sword of Evil's Bane. It was clearly unbearably heavy in his hands, but after tightening his grip, he pulled the Master Sword from its sheath. The ringing was louder than ever in Link's ears, and he lunged forward, as if there was any hope left that he could reunite with the one weapon that could kill the monster that tormented him. Ganondorf kept his distance, and for good reason.

"Such a fine blade," he remarked as he examined the blue-glowing burden in his hands before resting it point down. "I think it's time you are properly introduced to my companions." He rolled his shoulders and smirked. "Din. Farore. Nayru. The three golden goddesses."

Link was too shocked to respond, but then he remembered he could not even speak, and so his mouth merely hung open. _But… How?_

"As I said before," he began, as if he heard Link's voiceless question. "Corrupting them was far too easy. They put up no fight. How could they when they were still locked in their self-imposed sleep?" A vile laughter broke forth from his lips as he gloated. "The audacity that they would think I could not break my way into here. You would think for being the creators of this universe, they would have the sense to lock the front door." The specters did not move. They were under his complete control.

"And now, what it time to do what I've been itching to do for time immemorial." The specters surrounded their master on three sides and outstretched their hands in perfect unison. The Master Sword was immediately consumed in a blinding white light which wavered and waned until from its core burst forth three sacred flames of red, blue, and green. The specters held the dying flames in their hands with archaic statures, before snuffing out the last dying embers, thus ending the ceremony. The white light faded, revealing that the sword in Ganondorf's hands was no longer the Master Sword. It was a shorter blade of predominantly teals and light blue colors, not purple. The weight it once seemed to possess appeared to have vanished as Ganondorf was now able to easily hold it in his hands.

"The Goddess Sword," he aired. "It is simply not strong enough…" With a calculated movement, he ran his finger down the center of the blade and smirked. Link jolted when suddenly a large crack shot up the length of the blade from the hilt with an audible crumble that sounded like glass breaking. And then the room went dark. It was as if a great gale blew through the room bringing a suffocating black cloud with it, which seemed to originate from the crack in the Once-Master-Sword. "Welcome back, my king," is all Link could hear faintly through the blinding torrent. The cloud seemed to gather itself in the center of the room before being drawn into a small centralized point. It was not until the black cloud was gone that Link realized that the darkness had taken refuge inside an ornate amulet that hung around Ganondorf's neck.

"He will rest peacefully in there while he regathers his strength." The blade that was once the Master Sword fell dormant to the ground, and rattled loudly. Link could no longer hear the familiar ringing song. He could barely breath, much less comprehend what had happened. He just stared in wide-eyed terror at what had unfolded.

"What?" Ganondorf snarled with a smile. "Cat got your tongue?"

 _Hylia preserve me…_ This was the end. He was sure of it. The Master Sword was gone for good. Demise had been released. And his body was broken beyond repair. What hope could possibly exist?

"And now, for the grand finale, and the grand entrance of our final guest." From the folds of one of the specter's cloaks, a long semi-translucent blade was handed to Ganondorf. The blade seemed to glow with an ethereal and sickly pale green light, and its edge seemed to move and billow like mist. "This is a weapon of my own design. While it won't physically injure you, it will hurt just like any other." He held it in his hand greedily before stepping forward. "Are you ready to meet him?"

The blade pierced his chest, halting all breathing. His vision flickered and faded and then a change overcame him. He had seen this all before. He was surrounded by darkness, and four specters stood before him. The leader of the group held tightly onto the blade that was driven through his chest. It was just like his nightmare. Ganondorf was cloaked and hooded like the others, and around his neck hung the ceremonious-looking amulet which housed the remaining fragment of Demises' being.

And then the pain came. It was as if the blade was drawing something out from his very being.

" _Let him go,"_ the specter commanded. " _You have to want him to be expelled."_

 _Who!?_

" _You know who!"_

The blade twisted, and Link screamed in agony. The searing pain consumed his whole body. It was a feeling akin to when his darkling was exorcised from his body, only this was by far much, _much_ worse. The Spirit within him held on for dear life, and he could feel it beg to stay, but he was beginning to agree with Ganondorf. Goddess, he wanted it out of him more than anything in the world. A bright golden light erupted from behind him, and he could feel the presence welling inside of him, preparing to eject.

" _Get out of here, Link,"_ a deep voice cried desperately. " _You must escape!_ "

It was too late. The golden presence broke through his chest, and he was brought back to the world around him, only to be blinded by an explosion of light. When his hearing and eyesight returned the saw that the room before him was empty. The doorway had been blown to smithereens, and his restrains had fallen away in a rusty ash. Link immediately collapsed to the floor, catching himself on his elbows with a pained yelp.

"Mas-er," the familiar voice inquired in a stuttering speech. From the hilt of the Goddess Sword flew out a mysterious being that was bathed in a pale light. It ―or she― was unlike anything he had seen. She bore the resemblance to a Hylian, although her skin and clothing seemed to all meld into one continuous display of pastel blues and purples. Her eyes lacked pupils or irises, and on her chest, was a large diamond shaped jewel which almost served as a brooch that held her arm-cape-appendages together. What Link found strangest of all however, was the from the tips of her toes, to the top of her head was a large fracture, or crack. Comparing it to the crack that ran down the blade of the weapon Ganondorf called the Goddess Sword, Link could see that they were identical.

"Mas-ter," the being began again, flickering between existence, and nonexistence. "You-you-you must get out o- here. Ta-take the sword and go. I-I-I will lead y-you." Her voice often contorted and jumped between pitches. It was apparent that the fracture had damaged her ability to speak.

Link did not have time for questions however, not that he could ask any regardless. He moaned and grimaced as he crawled to the corner of the room and retrieved his mother's necklace in the crevice of the corner stone, struggling to use his broken fingers to pull it over his head. The pain brought hot tears to his eyes, but he wiped them away on his wrists. Using what little dexterity he still had, he managed to slide the Goddess Sword back into its sheath using only the pressure between his palms, and then he scooped up the sword in his arms. Walking was nearly impossible. With every traumatic thing that had happened to him, he lacked the balance and strength to walk without leaning against the wall.

"T-t-this way, Ma-Master." Link took note of the ruble that was splayed out in the towers foundation. Whatever the explosion was, it seemed to have been strong enough to decimate stone, and yet leave him unharmed. It was not until he stepped outside that he saw and heard a terrifying display of energy.

Through the darkness Link could see an amassing thunderhead, and within in it flashed lightening of gold, and crimson red. The thunderclaps shook the ground around him and pierced his ear painfully. Just as Link began to wonder where the corrupted goddesses went, he saw three trailing flames encircle the cloud, and plunge into its depths, joining in the clash of lightening.

"The-the Spirit of the Hero is buying u-u-us time, Master. We must escape."

 _But he can't win… What will we do?_ Link did not expect and answer, and so when the being responded, he jumped in shock. She must have been able to read his mind.

"N-n-no. He will not win. That is w-hy we m- leave. You must repair the sword, and return i-i-it to its former state. Y- must reform the Master Sword, and seal Demise away."

 _But how!? I can't even hold a normal sword anymore!_ The anger in his mind took him by surprise, but then again, his mind was exceptionally fragile as of late.

"There-s-s no time. Run." She pointed to the sky, and Link could clearly see in the flashing light that the bright golden lightning was readily being overtaken by that of the crimson energy. Link tried his best to run, which was no more than an excruciating limp, which often ended with him face first into the pavement. The being before him urged him to hurry while she simply floated above him, and gestured her directions to him. He was glad that she seemed to glow with an ethereal light, as the only light aside from hers was the flashing storm in the distance.

After several minutes of helpless limping, Link and his companion came upon a decrepit courtyard which contained endless rows of pond-like pools which seemed to reflect a starfield above. However, when Link looked up, he could not see the heaven above, as the darkness cut off his view of the outside world. _How is that possible?_ he wondered, but received no answer.

"You m- dive-dive-dive into the pool…"

 _What? Why?_ The idea of swimming sounded to unbearable to him. He was certain he would not have the strength of pain tolerance to achieve such a feat all while holding on to a heavy sword with both arms.

"It's the only way out."

 _Well which one do I jump in?_ he sneered, growing more angry, exhausted, and hopeless by the second. Unfortunately, before the being could even give an answer, she began to flicker, and her voice became to distorted to understand, however he could make out her faint pointing gesture to a nearby pool to his left. And then just like that, she was gone. She vanished into thin air, and he was left entirely alone in the courtyard of nameless star-gazing pools.

He began to feel light-headed. What was he going to do now? What the fuck was he going to do!? _The pool,_ he thought. It was the option he had left despite how much he despised the idea. And so with deep-rooted indignation, he gathered the Goddess Sword tighter in his arms and shuffled over the pool that the being pointed to and examined it with a critical eye. The water was completely still. Still enough that it was like a mirror, however when he peered over the edge he could not even see his own reflection.

Link held his breath as he stuck his foot in, hoping to find a step. Sadly, there was no step, and before he could even pull his leg back out, his strength gave out and his knee buckled beneath him. After grating against the stone edge with his shin, he fell into the pool and began to sink to its depths immediately. Panic began to overtake him when he was plunged into darkness. He could not see the surface through his blurry vision. He tried to kick his way up, but the only sensation he felt was that of being sucked down.

 _Shit._

His training finally kicked in, and he stopped struggling, so that he would not waste precious air. Somehow, he had to figure out a way to swim to the surface; fast. However, before he formed a plan a bright purple ring surrounded him and illuminated the area of black water. All in an instant, what felt like sinking, soon flipped, and he began to fly to the surface of the nondescript body of water. By the time he reached the surface he felt as his lungs were going to exploded, and he gasped desperately for air. He began to kick with his legs to stay afloat, eventually making his way to the soggy mud on the poolside. It was dark outside, although it was not of the same ominous quality. No, in fact it was rather peaceful as the moon cast a pale light on the world around him in a beautiful display of flora.

 _Trees. Moon._ If he had not been completely exhausted, he would have leapt up in disbelief. Had he truly escaped? Was he back home? He was too scared to even hope. _Where's the snow,_ he wondered as he specifically recalled being kidnapped in the dead of winter. However, the forest he found himself in was green, warm, and tranquil. Still cradling the Goddess Sword in his arms, Link crawled up the embankment coughing up water and taking in deep heaving breaths, feeling equal parts miserable and relieved. Fortunately, overall, he was in one piece, just unbelievably exhausted. He laid down on his side in the sloppy mud, reveling in its softness. Goddess it was heavenly to him to feel the cool mud around him as he sank in a few inches. How strange it was to think that he would find such relief lying in the mud, covered head to toe, but then again, after the torture he went through he was certain that he would be the happiest man in the world if he had to sleep in a pig's pen for the rest of his life. Anything was better than that damned torture chamber.

Link was too tired to move anymore. The remainder of what energy he had left had been utterly spent, and so he just laid there in the mud until his eyes closed from sleep deprivation. He was too tired to worry about everything that happened. He was too tired to think about everything that he lost. He was too tired to think about the worlds impending doom. He was even too tired to cry, regardless of how much he wanted to. All he could do now was sleep, but even then, he felt scared. What if they came for him in his sleep? What if the nightmares came back? What if he had dreams about his mother, or even worse: dreams about Zelda. Still, those fears were overruled by his bodily functions shutting down, sending him into a comatose like-state, and rendering him incapable of defending himself.

No dreams came however. There was only nothingness. Nothingness for what felt like an eternity.

When he awoke his throat felt like a dessert, and his lips were cracked. When he moved his arm his whole back cramped and cracked in pain. The dried scabs made it painful to even roll his shoulders. And not to mention his groin. Goddess, nothing compared. He tried not to pay attention to it. His eyes creaked open, although he could still only see out of one, as his left eyelid was still too swollen to see out of. He held his trembling hands up to his good eye.

 _What?_

They were covered in a white gauss, and bound to straight wooden splints. Now that he thought about it, he felt a cloth covering his back as well. It was wet, and smelled like a rich herb. Petrified by a forthcoming epiphany, he looked down to his nether region.

 _Fuck._

Underneath the clean canvas pants he now wore, he saw bandages wrapped around him. He felt unexplainably ashamed.

"Honey! He's awake!" a warm and masculine voice called out urgently. Link looked up and found that a young man, who he estimated to be roughly in his twenties peering down at him with a concerned and gentle face. His eyes were remarkably blue and ovular, much like his own, and on from his head hung unruly brown-blond hair. Link tried to speak, only to be disappointed, remembering the spell that Ganondorf put on him.

"Please, drink slowly," the kind man said as he handed him a cup of fresh water. "Don't try to speak until you've finished that cup." It was a difficult task to drink while lying on his side, but he lifted his head from his pillow and managed to down the cup with only a few trickles running down his cheek. He desperately motioned for another cup, which the man gladly complied to.

"Now. Do you feel well enough to speak?" he asked politely.

Link felt warm tears already welling in his eyes. After the hell he had been through, it was devastating to not even be able to speak to his bedside savior who seemed so genuinely concerned for his wellbeing. Link shook his head.

"It's okay. Just drink some more water slowly, and I will offer you little servings of food. You have to go slow. Your body is in shock. It needs time to readjust." As he had promised, after Link finished his third cup of water, the kind stranger offered him a small wafer-like bread which was a little bland, but far superior to the moldy bread Ganondorf gave him. "I will give you another one in a few minutes, and then we will see how your stomach handles it. If everything checks out, then we will give you so soup."

The man poured him another cup of water and offered it with a smile. "I'm sorry we can't just feed you right away. Hylia knows you need it." Link mustered a grateful and reassuring smile.

A smile. It was foreign to him now.

There was a loud shuffling noise at the doorway to the cozy room that he found himself in, and soon a young woman entered. Link's heart froze when he saw her face. It was uncannily familiar, as if he had known it all of his life. She wore a simple but flattering dress of a light red color, and around her waist hung an apron like cloth. Her golden hair was pulled back into a loose tie, excluding her bangs, in addition to two thick stands of hair that fell in front of her pointed ears. While Link felt a little guilty to admit it, he could no deny that she was very attractive.

"Link," she declared as she stepped in. His eyebrows furrowed. How did she know his name? Link's stomach churned when he realized that the woman was not addressing him, but the young man that sat next to him.

"He's had a few cups of water, and a wafer. I'm glad to say that he's looking much better than before."

Could it really be?

The woman instantly took notice in his absolutely bewildered expression and sat down next to the bed with a benevolent, almost pitying expression. "Can you speak?" she asked plainly.

Link shook his head and motioned to his mouth with his casted hand.

"Zelda, we just need to give him a little time. By the looks of it, he's been through horrors."

Were these two people truly a Chosen Hero and Descendant of Hylia? Had he been sent to the wrong time? He could hardly breathe at the revelation. "Of course," she apologized. "Are you in pain? I think it's about time for another dose of a healing elixir." Link finally nodded, too shocked to comprehend the situation. Zelda ―or the other Zelda, smiled kindly before standing and scavenged the bedside table until she produced a small elixir bottle of a cherry-colored red liquid.

"It's not particularly tasty," she began as she poured a small amount in his water cup. "But it works wonders in relieving pain." She chuckled a little, as if she wanted to lighten the mood. Link did not chuckle in response, but he did force a polite smile. He certainly did not want to be rude, but in all honesty, he was too shaken to be lighthearted at the moment.

"I have to admit though, it's a little difficult to give a dosage to an unconscious person. Mind the taste." She told the truth. The elixir tasted awful, but as it traveled down his throat it left a soothing tingling sensation that began to work its wonders. His unbearable aching eventually shifted into a manageable throbbing.

He still felt horribly embarrassed however. Had she seen ― _it_? He prayed beyond prayers that she was not the one who applied the bandages. Then again, he felt the same way about the kind man that sat at his bedside. The more he thought about it, the more ashamed and embarrassed he became. Even his ears burned a bright red. What would he do when he needed to relieve himself? He tucked his chin to his chest, trying to hide the fact that he was fighting back tears. The urge to turn over and face the wall was overwhelming, but he knew he could not and should not disturb the cloth on his back. He resorted to just closing his eyes until the tears went away. Apparently, it did not work, as he felt a warm tear roll down his cheek.

"Hey, it's okay," the man reassured him as he placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. "You just take as much time as you need." Link nodded his acknowledgment, but did not open his eyes. He held his breath to stop the incoming exhalations that accompanied dejected sobs. On one hand he did not want his only company to leave, and yet at the same time he was mortified by the idea of crying in front of them.

After very deliberate self-aimed pep talks, he finally gathered his composure, and motioned for another cup of water, which he was granted, along with another wafer. With his stomach mostly full of water and two wafers, and the full effects of the elixir taking place, Link felt remarkably better than before, and so with his saviors' help, he sat up in his bed to stretch his tightening muscles. His back cramped a little, but for the most part it straightened out, and he was able to breathe a little easier. Sure enough, where Ganondorf hit him in the ribs with the wooden bat, there was a large purple and yellow bruise, and at least two broken ribs underneath.

His ancestors, as he took to calling them in his head, both looked at him expectantly, as if hoping that he would finally speak. Again, he made very distinct and dramatized gestures to his mouth, trying to signal that he could not physically speak.

"Can… you speak?" his predecessor asked hesitantly. Link stuck out his tongue and pointed to it with his cumbersomely bandaged hand, shaking his head.

"You poor thing," the other Zelda said sadly.

"I suppose you won't be able to explain how you got your hands on this this then?" his predecessor asked as he held out the Once-Master-Sword, brandishing the fractured blade. Link only shook his head despondently.

"Can you write?" Zelda asked with guarded, but hopeful eyes. Link nodded plainly, although he was a little hesitant. How would he write if he could not even grip a quill? Still, he was willing to give it a shot, and so he waited patiently as she gather an ink well, quill, and a small wooden board to write on, along with a piece of parchment.

Goddess it was impossible to write legibly with two hands, quill stuck between his palms. Even though they had already guessed his identity, given his peculiar situation, and the sword he carried, which his predecessor seemed to be very familiar with, Link first wrote his name, then his age, birthplace ―which had little relevance to them― and then finally 'Ganondorf tortured me.' The message was cryptic and unsettling, as his ancestors looked at him worriedly.

"Who is Ganondorf?" Zelda asked.

That was all the proof he needed. The ancestors that sat before him were no other than the first Chosen Hero and reincarnation of Hylia. Link circled the name and then drew an arrow downwards and then carefully scribed the name 'Demise.'

His predecessors face grew pale and nervous. "Are you certain?"

It took the better part of five minutes to write his last line, which was still barely readable. 'Ganondorf freed Demise from the Master Sword.'

His ancestors looked at each other gravely, but did not say anything else. Link's heart sank to his stomach when his predecessor took the hand of the woman beside him, lacing his fingers with hers and held onto it like a lover. The rush emotion made his chest hurt, and so he laid back down and buried his face into the pillow.

 _Goddess, I just want her back…_ He could not hold his sobs back that time. Even if he got back to her somehow, and everything turned out in their favor by some miraculous intervention by the gods so that they could be together, what good was he now? He knew he had nothing of value to offer before, but now that his one birthright given to him as a male of his species was robbed from him, it would be the end of the Royal Bloodline. No amount of strongly worded arguments could change it now. He was utterly incapable.

 _What does it matter anyways?_ he reassured himself. _Nothing has changed. I could not have been with her to begin with. So why do I even entertain the idea!? The Royal Bloodline will go on, because she will marry someone of worth and capability. Someone who can fulfill his duty. Not some crippled, infertile wretch like me._

"We will be just outside the door if you need us, Link. Take a little time to rest." Her voice was too similar to the descendant's that he loved, and so it only made Link's heart hurt even more. He did not bid them a grateful smile, nor a polite wave. He just sat laid there, face consumed by his pillow, devastated beyond words.


	29. Ancestors

_Chapter twenty-nine, Ancestors_

"I tired cleaning and brushing your hair when you were unconscious, but it's become horribly matted and tangled I'm afraid," the woman named Zelda, but was not _his Zelda,_ said. "If you're up to it, I can try untangling it again, although it might hurt a little."

Link nodded gratefully. She had been incredibly kind to him, almost motherly, and so he did not want to be rude. In truth, he did not really want her to try combing his hair, as the mention of more pain sent a pang of fear and panic, but he figured he would have to get over the sensation at some point. That being said however, every waking moment was filled with heart wrenching, adrenaline pumping, startling subtleties. He was jumpy to say the least. If there was a sudden noise, or a flicker in the lighting he would practically leap out from his bed, terrified that Ganondorf was there to take him back to the nightmare that was his torture room in the Phantom Realm. He had already taken to hiding a knife he 'borrowed' from the kitchen under his pillow, not that he could even grip it if he needed to. Whoever was watching over him in those moments of panic always came to his side to calm him down and reassure him of his safety.

They took turns usually. She would take care of him during the morning, while his predecessor was out cutting wood, hunting, or performing some other homestead activity. And then in the afternoon, the dark-blond haired man who shared his name would enter and watch over him while his significant other bustled about cooking, or seeing to other important things. She was an excellent cook. Then again, he figured the worst meal from the worst chef in Hyrule would be heavenly in comparison to the moldy bread he ate under Ganondorf's _care._

 _Ow!_ She was right. Despite her best efforts to be gentle, as she pulled the comb through his hair it got snagged instantly, and pulled against his skin painfully.

"Sorry," she fused. "I'm trying my best." Link tried to smile reassuringly, how could he blame her for trying? He nodded for her to continue. Again, the comb could not even pass an inch before it was tangled in his matted hair. He tried no to wince, determined to tough it out, but if his nose curled even slightly she would stop and apologize.

 _Please, this is nothing compared to hell I've been through._ He could not tell her that though. No, all he could do was smile politely and gesture for her to continue, regardless of his disdain for the activity.

She fused with hair for the better part of ten minutes before she decided to take a break for his sake. Link's lips thinned as he exhaled through his nose. Even resting against the pillow hurt his head, as the matted hair pulled and folded uncomfortably

 _Why don't you just cut it off?_ It was a novel idea, although he was wary of taking such drastic action. He had never cut his hair shorter than the length of his hand, palm to fingertip, before, and so cutting it all off completely was admittedly an ill-favored task. He had always been rather proud of his golden hair. Even the Princess seemed fond of it.

He tried to forget the last remark as it made his heart hurt. _All the more reason, I guess,_ he sighed hopelessly miserable.

With his bandaged hands he gestured for his writing tools, which his caregiver readily gave to him, visibly interested in what he wanted to write. It was an almost alien feeling, knowing that someone was interested in what he had to say.

' _Just cut my hair,'_ he scribbled awfully. His writing was still practically illegible, no better than that of a child's writing, but luckily, she seemed quite capable of reading his poor excuse of _letters._ At any rate, after a day of practice, his shaky hands began to compensate for the task, even though he barely wrote. All he really did was lay there and try not to think. Thinking brought painful memories, and pain brought tears; tears he should not shed.

"Are you certain?" she asked with a genuinely concerned expression.

 _Yes,_ he said in addition to nodding. _I think…_

Her lips thinned as she contemplated his request with heavy eyes. Trimming one's hair was one thing, but cutting it all off was another. Hylians were always fickle folk when it came to their hair. Every person was different, they all had their own style of hair that they stuck to, usually for their entire life. It was incredibly rare that someone to change their hair so drastically, and Link was no exception to that inclination.

"Are really sure?" she reiterated. Link nodded his head, trying to smile. "Okay," she finally sighed hesitantly. After helping him sit on a small wooden stool in the center of his makeshift bedroom, she draped a large cloth around him, so that he was covered from the neck down, being very careful not to hurt his whip-scabbed back. She inhaled and exhaled nervously when she banished a small pair of scissors from a storage cupboard and lifted it to his head to begin snipping away.

The first cut sent shivers down his spine. He watched as a long, matted strand of golden hair fall in front of his face onto the floor at his feet. It was like he was cutting away the last ties that anchored him to his old life. One last thing Ganondorf had taken from him… He ground his teeth and blinked forcefully to push away the angry tears, and took a deep breath to calm himself. He knew that he was truly in a pathetic state when such an inconsequential act brought him to tears.

 _I have one remaining heirloom I suppose,_ he finally reminded himself as he looked down at the necklace that was tucked under the cloth that covered his body. Its leather cord was still stained red from the blood-oath he took in the name of his king. His heart was filled with despair when he considered his impending failure. When was he going to pay the blood price for failing to uphold his oath? Then again, how could the goddesses exact their wrath upon him when even they were corrupted by Ganondorf?

Din. Farore. Nayru. Could it really be true? Could he have really put a spell on them while they slept? It was too astronomical for him to even consider. The world was going to come to its end. With the Creators gone, the Master Sword broken, and the Spirit of the Hero undoubtedly enslaved by Ganondorf and Demise, what hope was there? Even if he had his full strength back, what chance did he have of saving anyone when even the golden goddesses themselves had been forced against their creation?

His shoulders sank lower, and lower as he slipped further into the pit of hopelessness. And, as if it were another spiteful insult hurled towards him, he had not even been sent back to his proper time. He was sent hundreds of thousands of years back, exiled to die with his ancestors.

"It will grow back," Zelda tried to reassure him, thinking that his hair was the cause of his breath racking grief. Link made no effort to respond.

Before long there was a large pile of matted hair scattered on the floor, and his head felt remarkably lighter. She offered him a mirror when she finished cutting his hair. His throat seized up when he saw a swollen-faced, scruffy-chinned, short haired disgusting excuse of a man in its reflection. Link did not even recognize himself anymore. He quickly handed the mirror back, too embarrassed to even look, and shuffled back to his bed before collapsing into it, avoiding all his ―sensitive― areas.

Zelda understood by his behavior that he did not want to talk, or more accurately, be talked _to._ It was an occurrence that happened regularly now, resulting in a continued atmosphere of mystery for Link's ancestors. Link did not feel capable of recounting everything that happened to him, physically or so, after he turned away, Zelda set about sweeping up his hair off the floor. Since he was facing the opposite way, he could not see her work, but he could hear her bustling about with purpose until she quietly sat back down on the chair by his bed.

A strange melodic noise began to hit his ear. It sounded like a stringed instrument, as it had a slight twanging noise to it, but it was soft and beautiful. And then he recognized what he was hearing.

 _It can't be…_

Link turned over in his bed and looked at the golden-haired woman across from him who was holding a simple, but lovely harp in her hands, and was self-amusedly plucking a tune that was terrifyingly familiar. He had hummed it many times before. It was the song he heard at the King's funeral; the one that reminded him of his Princess. A lullaby. When she saw his bewildered expression, she stopped and gazed at him perplexedly. Somehow, she seemed to have read his mind.

"Do… do you know this song?" she asked in an awe filled voice.

Link nodded.

"Where did you hear it?"

' _I heard it when my king died, at his funeral,'_ he wrote cryptically after sitting up. ' _he was a Chosen Hero too.'_

"There have been _many_ other Chosen Heroes?" she asked timidly.

' _Countless.'_ She cleared her throat apprehensively when she read his reply.

"So, Demises' curse held true… Our descendants have been haunted by his incarnation…" Link confirmed her dreary statement with a curt nod.

' _And now he is freed.'_ Their conversation was interrupted when his spiritual predecessor entered the room with a light knock.

"How's everything going?" he asked patiently, eyeing Link's newly cut hair with silent pity, but did not inquire. He seemed out of breath, and there was a bead of sweat on his forehead. No doubt he had just finished his outside chores.

"He knows my family's lullaby. The one you like so much. Apparently, the song has been passed down through the generations."

"Astonishing," is all his predecessor said with a wide mouthed awe-filled smile. There was a tingling sensation in Link's chest as he contemplated what he strangely felt timid to request.

' _Play it again_?' he simply asked in small letters.

A sweet smile stretched across Zelda's lips. It was a familiar smile that made his heart hurt as much as it gave him peace. With well-practiced fingers, she began to pluck the soothing lullaby. Goddess, it made him feel better. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing, taking in every note with blissful attentiveness. And then it occurred to him how badly he wanted to be home. Despite how much his shield-brothers hated him, how much the townsfolk would undoubtedly hate him, and how he no longer had any surviving family that he knew of, all he yearned for was home. Home is where Jonathan was. Home was where all of his closest friends where, where he grew up, where he trained, and fought to protect the Princess. Even if he had to shadow _her_ for the rest of his life as nothing more than her silent guardian, denied all desires of the heart and flesh, denied all humanity, he would have been happier there than being exiled and forced away from her.

Maybe it was childish to assume that he could stay by her side without impeding her, or burdening her duties as a princess, and future queen, but his desire to just be in her presence was strong enough to make him feel sick. Reluctantly, he thought since all he could possible offer her now was absolutely nothing but his continued service, she would come to her senses and abandon her pursuit of him, which would allow him to still be by her side as a loyal servant without compromising her responsibilities. Then again, what did his service mean now? His body, the only thing he had left to give in knighted provision, was broken. He could not defend her without his full strength, he could not advise her without a voice, and most of all he could not, and never should have offered her companionship.

Ganondorf really had taken _everything_ from him. He was doomed to be cast aside like an irreparable tool. His mark on the world would die with him. He would leave no legacy, no children, no land or riches. Nothing. He was truly _nothing,_ and yet this 'nothing' had to try his best to fulfill the blood-oath he made. Dying in that pursuit would be the only peace his soul would find.

However, all of this hinged on one key aspect; getting home. That was the first roadblock to tackle in order to return to nothing, so that he could fulfill nothing, and receive nothing. In his despair he thought that maybe his ancestors knew of a way he could return to his own time. He had always read about the various Heroes of Old who were granted the ability to travel through time, although it was usually a very specific allotted section of time, but maybe his oldest ancestors knew of a way to send him all the way forward.

And then an idea struck him light a bolt of lightning.

What if, by some miracle that they could send him through time, they could send him to before he was kidnapped and prevent it from happening? Then it occurred to him, why not earlier? Why not send him back before the King was killed, so that he could warn him? Why not go even further back, so that he might save his father, and take him to MiarindÍl before he died?

He would have jumped out of bed had they not stopped him with worried pleas. His hands trembled uncontrollably as the added adrenaline only increased their inability to stay still, but after a few deep breaths, he calmed down enough to begin writing on a clean piece of paper.

' _Can you send me forward through time?'_ he wrote plainly with the quill stuck between his palms. His ancestors were flabbergasted by his request, and so he allowed them a little time to process it.

"I don't know," his predecessor finally responded, visibly unsure of himself. "Perhaps… I don't know if I could… Time is a fickle thing, and I had no say in the matter last time I dealt with such weighty powers."

' _How?'_

"Well. The Gate of Time was closed years ago. Vanished into thin air. But maybe… Maybe if I pull the Master Sword from its pedestal it could somehow reopen it."

' _Do it. You have to get me back to my own time.'_

"Now hang on," his predecessor said sternly. "You are in no shape to travel, much less return to your own time."

Link's expression soured as he wrote his next message with no small amount of indignation. ' _There's no time. I can walk.'_

"I disagree with both statements," he replied coolly. "I may not know exactly how far in the future your time is, but I believe the one thing we have in abundance _is_ time. These horrors that have afflicted you have not happened yet in our present life. I will not even think about trying to achieve such a dangerous task until you have fully healed."

Link grew unbelievably frustrated. The answer was right there. He could prevent every terrible thing that had happened to him before they even came to be. He could save his father, he could warn the King of Ganondorf's impending invasion, he could prevent the Master Sword from being broken, maybe even dissuade his younger self from foolishly falling in love with the Princess. He could fix everything before it ever happened, and yet his predecessor wanted him to wait!? He prepared himself to write a long-winded counter argument, but he was softly cut off by Zelda.

"He's right, Link," she said to him. "You are in no condition to travel or defend yourself. Your time will not come for years, possibly hundreds of thousands of years. I think you can bear to wait a few months till you've healed to try to go through the Gate of Time."

' _MONTHS!?'_ he wrote fully capitalized and shoved the paper to them with a sour frown.

"Your fingers need time to heal. They are shattered beyond belief. Your back will be just fine, but…" Zelda hesitated for a moment, which made his ears burn with embarrassment. "Everything else will need time to heal properly. And not to mention that thing in your leg! I don't know if we can ever get that out."

Link mashed his teeth together in fuming frustration. _Dammit all!_ Why did their logic have to seem so ―well, logical? How could he possible stand to wait? He had the opportunity to fix everything! This is how he would fulfill his role as the Chosen Hero. Still, how could he deny their logic. As much as he tried to lie to himself, he could barely walk on his own, and when his medicine wore off the pain was unbearable. Worst of all was when he needed to _relieve_ himself. Goddess it was truly one of the most embarrassing experiences of his life. Not to mention the pain; he had only done it once since his arrival, and the ordeal was enough to make him whimper in anguish. He was so red from humiliation that they thought he had caught a fever. How would manage it alone?

Then the deciding factor entered his mind. How could he present himself to the King, or to his father, to anyone he knew in his current revolting state of appearance? What if his Princess saw him like this? He hoped that he could go back far enough that she would not be old enough to recognize him.

 _No._

As much as he hated the idea of waiting for so long, it was the wiser option. Maybe he would never be able to wield a sword again, and hopefully he would not need to, but he could at least wait long enough to be able to walk on his own without struggling.

 _What will I do after I warn the King,_ he wondered. Would he just fade from existence once his actions took their toll on the past―or the future...? If he prevented everything before it happened, would he no longer exist? The train of thought sent his mind in circles. Time truly was a fickle thing.

' _Fine. I will wait,'_ he wrote down reluctantly. ' _But only long enough to be able to take care of myself.'_

His ancestors sighed with relief in the way parents would sigh with relief after convincing their child to avoid foolish actions. "Praise the goddesses," Zelda proclaimed. "With that taken care of for now, are you hungry? I can begin some lunch for us."

Both men nodded their heads with eager expressions. "I can help," his predecessor declared. "Unless you want me to stay, Link?"

' _It's okay. leave the door open. I will make some noise if I need you,'_ he wrote carefully.

"Very well. We'll be just in the other room," Zelda replied with a beaming smile. "Besides, I will need the help to cook a little extra food for our guests."

"Guests?" Link's predecessor asked, emphasizing the plurality.

"My father will be here soon. I sent word to him last night. I thought that it would be wise for him to meet our… spiritual successor."

"You're probably right," he replied. "Maybe he can help us determine if we can reopen the Gate of Time for Link."

"I hope so too," she said confidently. "Doctor Levi will be coming with him as well to check on Link's bandages and splints, as he promised he would do the day before." Link felt a little relieved. Apparently neither of his ancestors had been the ones who applied his bandages, which meant neither of them had dealt the _atrocity_ down south. Sadly, that relief was dashed, however, when he remembered the embarrassing shuffle of that morning when his bladder nearly gave out.

He tried to forget it, to no avail.

After laying back down in his bed, Link's ancestors excused themselves, and entered the kitchen which was just on the other side of his door. As he had requested, they had left it open. And so, to occupy himself from boredom, he took to watching his saviors effortlessly float around the kitchen to prepare their meal. They were the embodiment of synergy. It was apparent that they had worked together in this way for years, as half of the time they did not even need to speak a word to know exactly what the other needed. She would hold her hand out expectantly while examining a broth on the fire stove, and he would quickly hand her a ladle to stir it. They chopped vegetables together, prepared a small bird his predecessor shot down for a pot of boiling water so that they could cook it, and then added it to their delicious soup, all while talking and laughing with each other as easily as if they were sitting down.

The looked so happy together. It would have made Link smile, had it not stirred up such a deep and terrifying longing within himself. He could never be as happy as they were. He could never have the woman he was bound to, the one he was sworn to shield and attend to. She would try to convince him otherwise, but under no circumstances could he allow such a dreadful thing to happen. It was like an icy dagger through his heart when he saw his spiritual predecessor give the golden-haired woman a quick and charming peck on the cheek. They thought that he would not have seen it, but he did, and it hurt. Goddess how it made his heart throb.

 _I can fix it,_ he tried to convince himself. _If I go back far enough ―or ahead really― I can stop these foolish desires from ever taking root._ How naïve he was when he was younger. Hopefully he would listen to his own advice. Otherwise he would throttle his younger self until he agreed to never visit the Princess' tower. He prayed beyond prayers that once his mission was complete, he would cease to exist in his current form. He could not bear to think that he would have to live out the rest of his life hindered the way he was. Hopefully, if he could prevent the events in the past, he would have never ended up there in the first place.

 _Time travel,_ he scoffed. _I hope it works._

He grew tired of watching his ancestors, or more accurately he could not handle the emotions it gave him, and so he sat up in his bed and gathered his writing supplies. There was a small desk to his left, and so after carefully testing his balance, he moved from his bed and sat down at the desk, bringing his supplies with him. He winced a little when a sharp pain shot up his back, which made Zelda stop cooking to come and check on him. With a reassuring smile he waved her away, bowing his head slightly in a show of gratitude for her concern.

It was going to be horrendously difficult to achieve, given his poor excuse of finger dexterity, but he intended on writing down everything that happened to him since he was chosen by the Master Sword in hopes that maybe his ancestors could better understand his predicament, and offer him more helpful information.

His lips thinned as he pondered how to start. He wanted to be short and concise, since it would be a strenuous activity, but he did not want to leave out any important details. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck before wetting his quill in fresh ink and began.

' _It started when our kingdom was invaded from the sea…'_

An hour had passed by the time his ancestors declared that their lunch was cool enough to eat, and so he gladly set down his writing tool. It was hard work indeed, as he had to hold his arms over the paper and carefully drag the quill across it with as much precision as he could muster holding it between his palms. While at first it was not too difficult, as time went on, his arms grew heavier since he could not rest them on the desk. It made his shoulders and biceps ache.

"What are you writing?" his predecessor asked with a curious grin. Link slid the paper to him; he had only written approximately half a page, which brought him up to the part when the specters began their attack.

"Your King must have been a valiant hero. You hold him in high esteem?" he asked after reading through Link's rough synopsis.

He nodded readily, although he could not hide the glimmer of sadness in his heart thinking about his dead King. _Maybe I can fix that,_ he reminded himself with a hint of hope.

"You say you were at this _Akkala Citadel_ to escort your Princess… Is she the descendant of your time?" Link nodded, and quickly wrote her name on the corner of his paper. "Her name is Zelda too?" he said in astonishment.

' _It is the Royal Family's ancient tradition to name the first girl born "Zelda."'_

"Zelda," he called out with a smile and waited for a response. There was a shuffling noise in the kitchen, and then she entered the room, which lit up immediately as her vibrant hair reflected the noon sunlight that peered through the window. "Apparently you family's song isn't the only thing that is passed down through time. Every princess that is born first is named after you," he told her.

"Seriously?" she said sheepishly. "I… Well…. I'm flattered, but… I don't know. It feels weird. And a princess? When does that become a thing?"

"I don't know! But I suppose we shall have to name our first daughter after you then, and start the tradition." He shot a knowing and dubious smile at her, and Link swore that he winked, but maybe he did not. He could not say for certain. At any rate, she seemed a little flustered by his predecessor's suave remark.

"Goodness! You're already thinking about children? We've only just barely finished the farm, let alone the house. Let's not be so hasty to take on another responsibility. Especially one as big as that." Link's predecessor seemed a little let down by her response, but he took it on the chin with a humored smile.

"Of course," he began with a cough. "I only meant _when_ we have children."

 _Am I the only one with red ears?_ Link wondered, awkwardly staring at the ground dejectedly.

"Well," she drummed, dismissing the topic. "Lunch is ready, and father should be here an ̶ ." She was cut off by a strange gust of wind that rattled the windows violently in a rhythmic fashion. Link instinctively jumped up from his chair, ready to fight, although he practically fell over as he did so when his leg gave out. Luckily, his predecessor caught him.

"Whoa there, calm down. There's nothing to worry about. It's just her father arriving."

 _What kind of person makes wind like that!?_ With a dull thump, something landed outside, and then there was a strange bird-like call that emanated from the other side of the window. After a brief pause, a second gust of wind blew through, which was accompanied by another bird-like caw.

"Do you feel strong enough to walk?" Zelda asked Link as his predecessor helped him retain his balance. "It would be nice if we could all sit in the kitchen, there's more room in there. But only if you're comfortable, of course." Speaking honestly, Link did not really want to, but he also did not want to be a bother, so he nodded with a polite smile. "Great! There's a chair in there you can sit on, it has a soft cushion on it, so it should be comfortable." She turned to her significant other before addressing him. "Would you mind helping him in there, I want to talk to my father before he comes in."

"Of course," he replied, encouragingly offering his shoulder to Link so that he could hold on for balance. Walking was admittedly painful, even with his medicine, but he was determined to tough it out. And so, as Zelda exited the front door of their little house to speak to her father, Link ―and Link― sat down at the kitchen table.

"You'll like Gaepora," he declared. "He's a very wise, and very kind man." Link shot him a crooked brow, but thinned his lips and nodded. He hoped that this 'wise man' could help him get home. "I'll bring your writing supplies in. I'm sure you will want to speak ―eh, write― for yourself." Link smiled gratefully, and watched as his predecessor drift back to his room with confident and swift strides. He certainly carried himself like a man of importance, Link noted. It felt strange to be so closely, and compassionately tended to. The only people he recalled caring for him in this way was his father, and unfortunately the Princess, when he fell ill to the poison he received on Mount Lanayru. He shuddered a little, dispelling the emotions associated with those memories.

 _I can't think about those things right now,_ he stoutly reaffirmed.

"Hopefully Zelda thought to ask her father to bring more paper," Link's predecessor commented as he placed the writing supplies on the table. "If your tale is a long one, you're going to need a lot more… Anyways, I go ahead and serve some soup up!" Link's predecessor set out five bowls on the table, with accompanying spoons, and then methodically portioned out equal servings to each one with what Link could only describe as precise, and balanced movements that pertained to the adroitness of a true swordsman.

 _I wonder how proficient he is at fighting?_ Link wondered with no small amount of idolism. He was the first Chosen Hero after all. Surely, he would be an incredible with a sword in his hand. Then again, he seemed so gentle and kind by nature. It was strange trying to imagine him being a fierce and deadly warrior. _Perhaps,_ he began. _Perhaps before I leave this time, he can show me a few tricks. I might need them… If I can ever use my hands again…_ He looked down at his bound hands with vitriol indignation. _And that's a big if._

"Your fingers hurting?" his predecessor asked worriedly, stirring Link from his thoughts. "It might be time for your next dose of medicine." Link shook his head, and forced a thankful smile. "Okay. Just let me know if you need anything."

Link felt a little guilty being such a burden to his already overly gracious hosts. In fact, it hurt his pride much more than he wanted to lead on; being completely incapable of doing anything useful without help was a cruel sting to his ego indeed. It seemed that he would be forced to lean on his ancestors for support like a child.

 _Weak,_ he scoffed inwardly. _But there's nothing I can do about it now. I suppose everyone needs help at some point in life._

That was another thing that seemed _off_ the past few days. Normally, back when he was in him home kingdom, his self-chastising was much more cruel and harsh, and it usually came from the vile voice in his head, but now it felt so much more like mild contempt, than self-loathing. He recalled something Ganondorf said when he exorcised his darkling from his body. He said something about introducing him to the 'little voice in his head.' Link wondered if perhaps his dark reflection had been the source of his self-hatred all along. It certainly became so heated at times that it felt like there was a whole other person in his head, but the question now was who was the other voice he always heard? Was it the Spirit of the Hero? Was it trying to advise him against the harsh words of his darkling? Had he truly been so blind to their presence the whole time? What if he had been listening to the enemy's advice all along? The idea sent a shiver down his spine.

There were muffled voices outside the front door as a host of people congregated on the wooden porch. By what he could hear, it sounded like two older men, and the Zelda, whose clear voice was much higher in pitch. Before long the door swung open, which made Link jump a little, even though he had been watching it the whole time.

 _Goddess, will I always be this jumpy!?_

Zelda entered first, and behind her trailed a tall, and rather round individual whose long bushy white eyebrows practically curled up and out from his face. While the top of his head was bald, around the sides and back grew thin white hair which was straight and well kept. He sported a thick mustache and a long goatee, and just below his unruly eyebrows, his eyes sparkled with the wisdom and kindness that Link's predecessor had promised.

Behind the man that Link assumed was Zelda's father lingered a rather scraggly and scrawny individual whose bottom lip almost engulfed his upper. Were it not for his generous smile which seemed to never go away, Link would have assumed by the way his eyebrows darted down so low that they almost covered his eyes that the man was furious. However, his snaggle-toothed grin said otherwise.

"Father," Zelda began. "May I introduce you to Link's spiritual successor. It seems that the goddesses have sent him here through time for a very specific reason. Although we have yet to fully understand what that reason is, other than to tend to his wounds." Gaepora strode forward with an elderly saunter and an intense gaze that made Link a little uncomfortable. The kindness that was there just a moment ago had been replaced by what seemed skeptical analysis. He drew closer to where Link was sitting, and out of habit he tried to stand, not knowing whether to shake his hand, or bow.

"No, no, please don't stand for my sake!" he abruptly declared, the kindness in his eyes making a welcomed return. "The name is Gaepora, headmaster of the Knight's Academy," he said with a smile. Link returned the favor and stuck his hand out to shake it, but quickly realized his folly when his hand shook uncontrollably.

 _Damn habit._ He withdrew his hand, feeling embarrassed.

"It's a shame what has happened to you," Gaepora said earnestly. "Truly, I offer my condolences, as well as my support. Anything Skyloft has to offer, I will see to it that you benefit from it."

Link was stunned. What had he done to receive such kindness? Show up out of nowhere, a complete waste of air, food, space, and medical supplies? He was a burden to his ancestors, and yet everyone he had met so far had been the personification of generosity and kindness. He did not understand it, but goddess how he was grateful. The best he could do to show his appreciation was crudely written 'thank you' on the corner of his paper, and offer it to Gaepora with an honest smile.

"If I may ask," he started with an awkward huff. "Have you always been at a loss of voice? Or is that too a result of your hardships?"

'It is a spell cast on me,' he scribbled.

"I see," he nodded. Even his ancestors seemed to nod restlessly at this information, as he had not explained the cause of his muteness to them yet. "Well, I'm sure we will work around it as best as we can."

"You didn't happen to bring extra paper with you?" Link's predecessor asked. "He has taken to writing about the events that have led him here. It would be very helpful for us to learn as much as possible, so that we can help him to the best of our abilities."

"I did not. But I can easily have some brought here as early as tomorrow morning. What have you written so ̶ "

" _Ahem,"_ someone interrupted.

"Oh, excuse me," Gaepora hooted. "Of course, you must meet Doctor Levi before we dig into such pressing matters." The gentlemen who Link now knew as Doctor Levi approached with a gangly gait and placed his bony fingers on Link's shoulder in a caring way.

"Actually, I have already met our guest. Although, he has not met me. Not officially. I am Doctor Levi, although you can ―eh, write me down as just Levi. It will be faster like that anyways." Link nodded gratefully. "Now, how are your bandages and splints holding up?" he asked as he examined his hands with practiced eyes, ensuring that they were in order.

Link nodded.

"Well, your back is certainly looking better," Levi said as he produced a pair of thin spectacles and examined his bare back. "It will scar obviously, but you should not suffer to much from it… Unless you have any other immediate concerns, I can check on the rest later." Link's throat seized up and his face grew hot when he understood what he meant. He was grateful that he had not openly named the topic of discussion, preserving what dignity he had left. He only nodded curtly, hoping to press past the awkward silence.

"Will his fingers be all right?" Zelda asked, voicing the concern that he dreaded to address.

"It's hard to say," Levi responded. "As long as they are held in the proper positions, they should heal back just fine, but he will undoubtedly lose a lot of motor function and grip strength. Now that can be at the very least helped with physical therapy, but until we get to that point, I can't say for certain."

 _I guess it's better than nothing,_ Link sighed.

"And the thing in his leg?"

"That, I think we can wait to address. Luckily, whatever that thing is, it isn't near any vital organs, so the only real issue it will cause is the occasional sharp pain and sensitive muscles. Perhaps once everything else is healed, we can see about removing it, but I wouldn't dare to perform such an operation while his body is fighting to heal everything else." After a collective sigh, Doctor Levi examined the countless scars on Link's chest and stomach.

"I must ask, Mr. Other Link, how in the world did you survive whatever happened on your stomach and chest? It looks like you were stabbed hundreds of times."

' _Healing magic,'_ he wrote plainly, not really desiring to go into the details of the painful ordeal. A silence fell on the group, and they all stared at him with what he imagined was pity. It made him uncomfortable being the center of attention. After years of training that urged him to blend in and be a silent sentinel, sitting in a kitchen bare chested in front of people he had only recently met, no matter how generous and kind, put his nerves on edge.

"Well," Zelda sighed. "Lunch is served. Shall we eat?" There was a collective grin in response.

That prospect seemed to lighten everyone's mood, and so they all sat down and grabbed their spoons to gratefully enjoy their humble meal. Link fumbled around with his spoon as quietly as he could, not wanting to draw attention to himself, but after he helplessly sloshed his soup around just trying to get a grip of his spoon by holding it between his bandaged thumb and palm, the attention he tried to avoid came to him regardless.

"Oh, forgive me," his predecessor began sincerely. "I forgot." Link's face grew hot as all eyes turned to him, feeling completely useless as the man who was heralded as a hero among his people had to place the spoon in his grip, and helped him hold it under his thumb. Determined to not be spoon-fed like a child, as he so embarrassingly had been at breakfast, he began to dip his utensil into his bowl and scooped up a small portion of warm soup by himself. He lifted it to his lips, supporting his hand with his other arm and ate his first bite. Despite his best efforts, the trembling in his hands made eating a pathetically messy ordeal, as a good portion of his food ended up on the table, or his chin, and even his chest and lap. Zelda offered to feed him on several occasions as she watched his pitiful display, but he stoutly insisted that he was okay. He eventually gave up entirely, and took to lifting the whole bowl to his lips, regardless of how ill-mannered it was considered in his own time. Luckily, they did not seem to care. In fact, they seemed glad that he found an easier way to eat.

Link sat silently as he listened to his hosts discuss none-essential matters. He often heard the words 'Skyloft,' and 'Loftwings' mentioned, but he had not the foggiest idea of what or where they were. His ancestors spoke a lot about their progress on establishing their homestead along with their neighbors, and how they were doing in general.

"Nothing special to report," Zelda chimed. "Ever since the Triforce ascended I admittedly haven't had much to do except tend to the house and farm." Link nearly choked on his food.

 _They had the Triforce!?_ Link unceremoniously slammed his bowl down and picked up his quill. ' _You did not tell me about the Triforce,'_ he wrote in a hurry as his hosts watched in captivated surprise at his suddenness. He slid the paper forward to Zelda who quickly read his poorly written note.

"Yes… Sorry, it just didn't cross my mind. You see, after Demise was sealed away in the Master Sword, I took it upon myself to watch over the Triforce, which had taken residence above the great Statue of the Goddess in the Sealed Grounds. Link ―em, our Link, joined me on this venture, and so we kept a watchful eye over it. That is until one day it just flew up into the sky and vanished without any explanation… We tried searching for it, but in the five years we've looked, we have not found a trace."

"All we can hope for," his predecessor added. "Is that the golden goddesses decided to put it somewhere safe. Somewhere evil cannot reach it." Link's lips thinned as he tried to recall the stories of the heroes of old, and any mention of the Triforce.

' _It might have been sent to the Sacred Realm.'_

"Where is that?" Gaepora asked with brow-raised curiosity.

' _Don't know. The legends say the Master Sword once served as a key to unlock that realm. Although the temple that housed was long destroyed, then rebuilt, and the Master Sword was given a new resting place.'_ His arms were tired after writing his lengthy explanation.

"Can you be sure of this?"

' _No. The histories of my spiritual ancestors, your spiritual descendants, are horribly muddied. Nothing is for certain.'_ There was another collective sigh, although it was a sigh of uncertainty.

"Well, I hope you are right," Zelda finally said. "It would put my heart at rest to know the Triforce is safe." Another brief silence fell on the group as each member pondered the situation. "But, we have other things to attend to. For now, there is nothing we can do about the Triforce, so we need to focus on how to get our _descendant_ back to his own time, and most of all how to repair the Master Sword."

"May I see the sword?" Gaepora asked, looking at Link expectantly. With his nod of approval, Link's predecessor stood and retrieved the Goddess Sword from his room and laid it out on the table, unsheathed. "Have you had the chance to explain how it was broken?" Gaepora asked after carefully examining the fractured blade.

' _Long story. It will take time to write.'_

"Of course. We have plenty of time however, so don't feel rushed. We will help explain whatever we can as you write."

"I thought the Master Sword was purple?" Doctor Levi asked, speaking for the first time since they sat down for lunch.

"It is," Link's predecessor answered. "This however, is not the Master Sword. This is the Goddess Sword, which transformed into the Master Sword after it was infused with the Sacred Flames of the goddesses, and blessed by Zelda."

"I'm lost, if he is from the future, how does he have the Goddess Sword?" Levi asked with a bewildered expression.

"We're waiting to find out…" They paused when Link began to write again.

' _Ganondorf removed the sacred flames, and reverted it back to the Goddess Sword. That is why it broke and released Demise.'_

"How did he do that!?" his predecessor gaped. Link swallowed the lump in his throat before answering.

' _He corrupted the goddesses through some dark magic. They revoked their flames under his command.'_

"What!?" was their collective response, with horror filled expressions.

"How is that possible?" Zelda asked. Link sighed with frustration. They were going around in circles now. The whole situation was too confusing and complicated to wrap his head around, and the fact that he could not speak only made it more infuriating.

' _It will be easier if I explain it chronologically,'_ he curtly wrote.

"You're right," she sighed. "I'm completely lost."

' _So about getting me home. Is it possible?'_

"It certainly is possible," his predecessor answered. "It's just that I don't know if we have the ability to achieve such a thing. As I said before, the Gate of Time disappeared when we returned to our present time. The only thing I can think of to try would be to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal, but I have my doubts."

' _Is there a way we could test it?'_

"Well. The Master Sword's resting place in the Sealed Temple is only a short walk away. If you're strong enough, maybe we can walk you up there. Just remember, we're not sending you back until you have healed completely. If we can send you back that way, that is."

' _fair enough.'_

"Let's finish lunch first before we head out," Zelda added. Link was in no position to argue against that, and so he continued to sip on his soup and waited patiently as his hosts finished their meals. They did not speak much after he had delivered his heavy and incomplete news, as each respective party was locked into deep ponderous states. Link grew a little anxious as he waited in silence, being the first to finish his meal, but soon enough everyone had their fill and began to prepare to leave.

Link was given a light shirt and tunic to carefully pull over his head without hurting the scabs on his back, and the sensitive area of his bruised and broken ribs. His predecessor explained that it was the old knight's tunic he used to wear on his adventures, and it certainly had the well-worn look of travel clothing. There were places where it was patched up, or stitched back together, but overall, it was a sturdy tunic which any traveler would be proud to wear. After tightening his belt around his lean waist, his predecessor offered him a strange long cap that was of the same color as the tunic. It looked a little silly in his opinion, but he accepted it, just glad to cover up his shaved hair.

"Well I'll be damned. I think once you get a little meat back on the bone, that tunic will fit you perfectly," his predecessor said with a beaming smile as he tucked the sheathed Goddess Sword under his arm. "I would be more than happy to give it to you, seeing that you are a kindred soul. Besides, you look pretty sharp in it, if I do say so myself." Link smiled kindly, and bowed his head in a show of gratitude, once again marveling at his ancestor's generosity, even if his compliment was clearly not true. If his brief glance in the mirror was anything to go by, he was about as pretty as a Bokoblin given how swollen and purple his eye was in addition to how strange he looked with short hair. However, that did not matter now.

Link was glad to find that Doctor Levi thought to bring in a pair of crutches for Link, although they were a little difficult for him to use them without his fingers for grip. Still, he managed well enough and began to limp forward relatively easy on his own with only minor pain. He just had to careful not to brush against the bruise on his side, and avoid using his fingers.

"We're ready when you are," Zelda called out as she prepared to open the door. Link nodded readily and inched towards the front door, admittedly excited to go outside in the warm sun. With a bright smile, Zelda opened the door, and Link's heart jumped out of his chest, audibly yelping. A monstrous creature stuck its head through the doorway, its long yellow beak opening slightly to let out a loud squawking noise. It was the largest bird Link had ever seen in his life. He would have searched for something to fight with had his ancestors not started laughing.

"Oh, don't worry, Link," Zelda said reassuringly. "That's just Lazu, my father's Loftwing."

 _What the hell is a Loftwing!?_ His expression must have betrayed his confusion.

"Do you not have Loftwings in your time?" she asked with a rather disappointed tone. Link shook his head with thinned lips and furrowed eyebrows. "Really!?" she gasped. "Thats rather sad actually. I couldn't imagine not having one. Would you like to pet him? He's really quite gentle."

Link readily shook his head at first, but after some gentle persuasion, he inched forward and reluctantly stretched out his hand. He tried to not allow his hand to tremble, to no avail, but soon the Loftwing swung its large head his direction and gentle nuzzled his hand with its beak. He let out sputtering breaths of relief and he ran his hand down its smooth beak. Zelda was right, it was a gentle creature. In fact, it seemed to take extra care to be gentle with his wounded fingers. The fear he had at first was quickly overtaken by childlike curiosity as he examined the beautiful blue feathers of the regal bird. Around its neck hung a thick leather belt which had small loops for what Link imagined would serve as places to hold onto. A smile of giddy disbelief stretched across his mouth.

 _Do they fly these things!?_ He looked at Zelda expectantly with a wonderous toothy grin, hoping that she would answer is question without him having to write it down.

"Loftwings are our main means of transportation in Skyloft," she explained. "Skyloft is our home town above the clouds. Perhaps once you are stronger we can take you up there. I think you would enjoy it!"

Without a second thought he nodded. What would it be like? How would it feel to fly above the clouds without a care in the world? He became insatiably excited just thinking about, and for a moment he forgot about his pain and worries. Lazu pressed his beak against Link's chest and let out a long breath of warm air through its nostrils that sat just below its brown eyes. It was an extraordinary creature to say the least. Goddess, he could only imagine what it would look like in flight.

"Well I think Lazu likes you too," Link's predecessor said with a warm laugh. "I'm sure you would be a natural at flying! I hope you get the chance. It's truly a magical experience."

"Alright Lazu," Gaepora declared in an authoritative but kind voice. "We need through the door, shoo!" With one last caw, Lazu pulled his head from the door and clambered away, patiently awaiting them as they exited the house.

The sunlight was warm on Link's skin, and for a moment he just looked up to the blue heavens and reveled in the beauty of the world that surrounded him. The breeze gently brushed against his face, and took in a long breath. Goddess, it was like really breathing for the first time. This peaceful moment however was ended with a sharp pain in his rib cage; his deep breath was perhaps a little too deep, and so his ribs cried in protest.

"The Sealed Temple is this way," Link's predecessor said, pulling him back into the moment. "It should only take us about ten minutes to reach, even with your leg." Link finally looked down from the sky, and observed the tranquil forest that surrounded them. To his left, past the newly built home was a large garden which was growing bountifully in the soft, rich earth of the young world, and to his right was a running stream of water, where Lazu and another brown Loftwing, who Link presumed was Doctor Levi's, were prospecting and turning over rocks for something to snack on. The soft trickle of the nearby flowing stream against the pebbles was like music to Link's ears.

"Just down that stream is where I found you yesterday morning," his predecessor remarked as they began to walk down the gravel road which pointed due north. "It's a miracle I stumbled on you lying unconscious in the mud while I was hunting. No doubt it was divine intervention."

 _From who?_ Link wondered. _The goddesses are no longer on our side._

"Do you know he get there?" Gaepora asked, politely look at him, although clearly waiting for his predecessors to answer.

"Haven't gotten that far yet," he replied. "Although, I think he must have come from the water, if the tracks in the mud are anything to go by." Link nodded to confirm his predecessor's assessment, making a mental note to include that in his outline later.

"Magic? Some kind of portal?" Zelda asked plainly. Link nodded again to confirm her speculation.

 _They're quite good at guessing,_ he thought with an impressed expression. _Then again, what would be any other logical explanation?_

The group let Link set their pace, which was much slower than he wanted, but as fast as he could manage without falling over. By the time the peaked over a particularly steep hill, which he ended up need help to cross over, Link was breathing heavily, but shortly as to avoid hurting his ribs. Doctor Levi expressed his concern about over Link over exerting himself, but he smiled determinedly and kindly nodded, expressing his characteristically apparent obstinance.

"Don't be afraid to motion for a break if you need it," Doctor Levi commented.

This only hardened Link's determination even more, and so he increased his pace. His predecessor and his significant other led them through a quiet forest which was greener than any he had seen before. Greener than that of even Faron Forest in his own time, and all around them the singing birds chirped happily as the drifted from tree to tree in search of nesting spots. Were it not for his heavy breath, Link would have been in complete meditative peace.

"You like it out in the wild?" Gaepora asked with a bushy grin. Link nodded with a smile. "So does your namesake. He's always been a bit of an adventurer," he stated. "Whenever he wasn't sleeping in that is," Gaepora added with an amused whisper. "Never thought that such a lazy boy would grow up to achieve so much."

"There she is," Link's namesake shouted, pointing just past the tree line which had abruptly approached. Link stepped forward and squinted through his good eye. It was the largest statue he had ever seen, although he had seen many in its likeness before. It was a statue of the goddess Hylia, in all her wisdom and grace. "Just down this path and we will be there in no time."

The statue of the goddess stood high and proud above the trees, and at her feet there was a paved courtyard surrounded by white stone wall, although they were decrepit and falling apart. In the direction the statue was facing there was a large building with four towers on each corner and a semi-dome at the entrance. It must have been the temple that his predecessor spoke of. It certainly looked ancient, ominous even, but his company seemed at ease, and so he allowed his uneasiness to pass.

While gazing up at the face of the towering statue, Link noticed a red blob, of ―something― perched in the outstretched palms of Hylia. He continued to watch it with a close eye as he limped forward until he realized what it was. Link's predecessor whistled with his fingers, to which the crimson Loftwing lazily lifted its head to and peered down at them with beady eyes. It let out a loud call, and then drifted down to them with effortless grace.

"This is Ephona, my Loftwing," Link's predecessor said as he stroked the soft feathers on its neck with an infatuated grin. "Come meet my friend," he whispered to it as he gestured towards Link. As Lazu had done earlier, Ephona extended out her long beak and touched Link's chest, and let out a long, warm breath that rumbled a little. Link hunched forward and ran his palm down her neck, sharing in his predecessor's infatuation with the magnificent creature. Ephona nudged her master and let out a quiet chirp-like call before resting herself on the ground.

"Sorry girl," he said quietly. "I have work to do. We can go fly later." Link did not know if the crimson Loftwing possessed the intelligence to actually understand his language, but she certainly seemed to understand his tone and gestures, and so she stood back up and took to the sky in a rush of wind. "Loftwings," he chuckled with a suppressed grin, motioning for the group to continue to the entrance of the Sealed Temple.

By the time they were under the looming shadow of the ancient building's open domed entrance, Link was out of breath again, but he persevered and faithfully followed his companions to the great doors that lead into the heart of the temple. As the weight of the doors seemed to be immense, it took his predecessor no small amount of effort to push them open, but with a little grunt they eventually slide open with a grating noise.

"Well. This is it. The Sealed Temple," he said in almost a tone of uncertainty. "It's been almost seven years since I've been in here."

His voice carried out in a booming echo in the open temple chamber. The moss that covered the walls, ceiling, and floor was on the verge of impracticality, but luckily it did not hinder their desired path, and so the pressed in with collective held breaths.

"I must admit," Gaepora tuned in with a wonder filled voice. "I never thought I would have the reason to enter this place."

"And I never even thought about it at all," Doctor Levi added with a toothy chuckle. Their footsteps fell lightly on the mossy pavement and soon they came upon a dais.

 _There it is…_ Link sighed with relief. Opposite of them, in the very back of the hall was the Master Sword, entirely unaffected by age. Its bright white steel shone in contrast to the green and brown stone behind it, and its purple hilt and handle were untouched by dirt or grime. It was strange to think that in his predecessor's hands was the sword that preceded the Master Sword, even though it had been brought back from the future.

 _Time travel,_ he scoffed once again. _Crazy business. Insane!_

"Well," Zelda whispered with airless lungs. "What do we do know?"

"I guess I should try to contact Fi. If she's even awake."

 _Who is Fi?_ Link wondered. _Is that the name of the voice inside The Sword?_ He would have to ask later. Link's heart beat loudly in his chest, to the point that he could feel the blood pulsating in his temples. He swallowed the lump in his throat as his predecessor approached the pedestal and placed his hand on the pommel of the Master Sword. He closed his eyes, and seemed to focus his thoughts. He stood there for a minute or so, although it felt like an hour for Link as he waited with anxious anticipation.

"Link," his namesake finally called out, not removing his hand from the pommel. "Come up here and place you hand on The Sword." Nervous sweat began to bead on his forehead as he climbed the stairs with careful steps. As his predecessor instructed, he stretched out his hand and rested his palm against the hilt and waited.

" _Truly dire is the need that you should be sent here, Master,"_ a familiar voice said to him, although it did not stutter or glitch. His breath shuddered as he sighed with cautious relief.

 _Thank Hylia,_ is all he could manage to gasp.

" _Link, can you hear me,"_ another voice called out. He nearly jolted from surprise. It was his ancestor speaking to him.

 _Yes! And you can hear me?_

" _I can. Goddess, you certainly have a strong voice. It's a shame you can't speak properly."_

 _Goddesses above, I'm just glad I can talk to someone without having to write!_

" _Link,"_ The Sword interrupted, although she did not specify to which Link she spoke to at first _. "How have you come to this time? Why have you been sent here and awakened me from my ageless sleep?"_

… _So much has happened… Where do I even begin?_


	30. Fi

_Chapter thirty, Fi_

"Why do you fight anymore?" Ganondorf sneered with crooked tongue as he searched the ruined labyrinths of the Phantom Realm. "The battle is lost, I have drawn you out from your wretched vessel, I have broken his body and will. Separated, you two are weak. Pathetic. Never before have you run from me like a coward. Come out and let us finish the inevitable."

The Spirit of the Hero did not answer, he had to waste Ganondorf's time as much as possible. That was the only way he could buy Link enough time to escape and repair the Master Sword. Everything rested on that poor boy's shoulders now, and he had to succeed without the aid goddesses, and without his help. Like a wisp in the wind, The Spirit drifted through the darkness in search of a hiding place, but the overwhelming drain of energy was becoming too great. Ganondorf was right. His soul was not strong enough to survive outside its vessel for long. Only the goddesses could sustain him in his times of waiting, but they too were gone.

This was a reality that not even they had foreseen. Dark was the hour that the Creators could not bestow their benevolence upon the realities they had created. Demises' curse had truly transcended the order of the world, his hatred had grown so great that it disturbed the very fabric of time and space itself; an action with catastrophic consequences. Not even malice incarnate would survive the impending doom of reality itself. They would all be consumed by the void.

A crimson light erupted to his left, sending the white stone wall into an explosive heaping shamble of flying rock. "There you are!" Ganondorf gloated. "Come my friend. In this realm my powers are nearly limitless." The Spirit lunged forward in a flash of golden light, calling upon the last reserves of his energy. His sword of light glanced off the barriers of the madman, all while he laughed arrogantly. A bolt of crimson magic ripped through his shoulder, weakening his fading light even further, and so he made another hasty retreat. Unfortunately, he was cut off by his Creators, who were tormented and corrupted underneath the black cloaks that shrouded their true eyes.

"You are a fool, Demise," he cursed.

"I am not Demise," Ganondorf stoutly insisted. "But you too will learn to call me Master."

"You are his reincarnation. It is all the same to me, vile demon. I will never answer to you, and neither will the Chosen Ones."

"They will have no choice. When Demise regains his full strength, we will conquer every era one at a time, starting with our beloved guests time. Without the goddesses' protection, those you have chosen will falter."

"Then we will all be consumed by the darkness you have created," The Spirit retorted with righteous anger before collapsing to his knees, no longer bearing the strength to stand. "That void that you draw power from, it will destroy everything. Not even you can escape it. You have doomed everything to eternal nothingness."

"Spare me your self-righteous proselytization," Ganondorf spat with vehement rage. The Spirit felt shackles of dark energy clasp around his wrists and ankles as they were drawn in and restrained him. "Now. Why don't you tell me where you've sent your latest meat-bag? I have lost my sight of him now that my pet is no longer with him."

"Oh, I thought that you had such endless power here in the Realm of Gateways, surely you have to ability to find him," The Spirit snarled sarcastically. His restrains sharpened and closed tighter, sending an excruciating burning sensation through his body.

"And now he has left this realm on your volition," Ganondorf said as he bent down and seized The Spirit's throat of ethereal light, lifting him with inhuman strength. No doubt another strength granted to him by the void. "Outside the Phantom Realm, or the Realm of Gateways as you call it, I do not have the same power. Out there I require a more ―archaic magic."

The Spirit of the Hero allowed no words to pass his lips.

"I thought as much," Ganondorf scoffed as he threw The Spirit to the ground. "It is of little consequence. I will find him eventually. Besides, he is no more useful than a cripple in comparison to my power." From the folds of his cloak, Ganondorf produced a dagger of glassy stone, which had a cord tired around it so that it could be worn as a necklace. "Say goodbye the world you have fought to protect since the Great Invasion." And then he drove the blade into The Spirit's heart, consuming his being, and trapping it within the dark glass.

"Are you in there?" he prodded with a twisted smile, gazing into the faint golden light trapped inside the necklace-like dagger. "Better get comfortable," he whispered to it. "That is where you will stay for all of eternity." Ganondorf stood with a maniacal laugh and tucked it under his cloak. With a snap of his fingers, the Creators approached and bowed their heads.

"Kivitzar?" they asked in unison.

"Go find my pet. I have work for him."

"Deitsvvy, Kivitzar."

The specters vanished, and before long they came back dragging the unconscious body of Link's darkling from some pile of rubble of the west tower. Ganondorf ran his hand over the creature's dark face, and murmured an inaudible spell. He surged awake, gasping for air, and the specters let him fall to the ground.

"Thank you, Master," he gasped as he crawled to his feet.

"I have a mission for you," Ganondorf cut in, ignoring the gratitude. "I am sending you back. See to it that whenever your equal inevitably returns home he has a special surprise waiting for him."

An impish smile stretched across the creature's lips. "Gladly, Master."

"Oh, and remember… Make _her_ suffer. With the Spirit in my procession, she is of little use to me now, and I think she deserves something ―special."

"Yes, Master."

* * *

The sensation would have been mystifying, had Link not experienced a similar feeling with MiarindÍl. However, Fi's presence was so different from MiarindÍl's. It was like it was much older, and void of emotion. Not that it was inherently a discomforting presence, just ―inhuman. She was unbelievably intelligent, but Link could not shake the feeling that she lacked the inexplicable facets that would make her _feel_ like a living, breathing person. And yet, somewhere deep within, there was the lightest glimmer of humanity. He had certainly heard her speak urgently before, in a tone that could almost be mistaken as worry, but in his limited experience she had yet to actually display unmistakable emotion. It was a matter he could not put his finger on.

Regardless, that was a topic for another time.

Instead of relaying everything that had happed to Fi through speech, she connected directly to his mind and began to _observe_ the events that occurred, as if his memories were like a play in a theater. By proxy, as long as his predecessor held on to the Master Sword with him, he was able to watch his story as it unfolded in his mind.

Fi went back much further than he had expected. Perhaps a little too far for his comfort. In thousands of passing emotions, images, and memories that felt so tangible he was like he was reliving that moment, Link, Fi, and his ancestor all watched as the important events of his life flew past at blistering speed, while all the minutia of the rest of his idle time was skimmed through by Fi almost as an afterthought. He rejoiced in the happy moments of his life, like his fond childhood memories with Jonathan, or when he was accepted into the Guard as a child, and when he graduated from training, but as they scrubbed through every inch of his mind, once pleasant memories grew to be painful reminders of the life he would never have again. The memories hurt. Namely, the memories associated with the Princess when they were younger.

 _Is it necessary to see these things?_ He asked, hoping to skip over the memories that stirred an unquenchable longing in his heart, and hide his embarrassment from his predecessor, but Fi insisted that she needed to gather as much information as possible. And so, they trudged on while Fi meticulously documented every single detail. Link's predecessor did not speak during the whole ordeal, but he could feel his tenacious presence in the back of his mind like a deeply rooted ideal, a bit awkward at times, but never judgmental.

Link felt weak as he had to relieve the pain of closing himself off from Princess Zelda, and their subsequent estrangement after that. There was a menial break of information for a moment, until they briefly recalled his visit to MiarindÍl during his survival trial. He had to fight with all of his strength to not let go when the images of his father's lifeless flashed before his eyes. It was like a weight off his chest when the haunting memories passed on. From there they followed the trail that eventually led to him becoming Zelda's Appointed Knight, and their adventures across Hyrule to visit the Goddess Springs after that.

Once they reached the events of the Citadel invasion, Fi began to observe with much stricter attention. She replayed the King's death multiple times, much to his dismay, as she deconstructed and analyzed the situation. He was glad when she finally moved on to the rest of the invasion until they recounted his battle charge with the Cavalry, and his impending shame as his shield-brothers shunned and scorned him. His predecessors stirred a little, as if upset, but he said nothing.

From his interrogation with Drodvaltol, to their return to Hyrule Castle, to the King's funeral, and then past the bittersweet moments of travel with his dearest friend, and finally to his failed attempted to awaken MiarindÍl from hibernation, Fi computed and recorded the key aspects of each event.

And then the real horrors came.

If his ancestor was uncomfortable before, then he had not expressed like he did as he watched the memories of Link's Leviathan obduction, and every breath-racking moment of his torture after that. There was even an instant that his predecessor withdrew his hand, as the images had become to visceral. In his predecessor's absence he begged Fi you skip over the brief moment of his ' _remova_ l' before his ancestor returned. He sighed with relief when she finally agreed and made her quick analysis before pressing on. He could not determine if it was for his sake, or his ancestors. Maybe both.

"Is everything okay?" the Zelda of the ancient past asked when her significant other withdrew with an expression of horror.

"Yeah… Sorry. I'll explain later." After a deep breath, Link's predecessor reluctantly returned, and bore witness to the remained of his descendant's memories. It was the moment of Demises' release that Fi slowed down the most. Like a great machine, she took in the information with immense detail, adding endless mental notes in some strange foreign language, and organized them in chronological order. The broken Goddess Sword. Demise. Ganondorf. The corrupted goddesses. All of it, she recorded in painstaking detail in the flash of an eye. The experience was unexplainable. And then, as if it were a sigh of 'oh, I see now,' Fi stopped completely after observing the Spirit of the Hero coerced from Link's body. His escape after that was of little consequence, and quickly combed through.

" _I understand now_ ," she said plainly in calculated contemplation.

 _Can… Could I take a break? I can barely stand,_ Link pleaded honestly. Before Fi even answered he felt is predecessor withdraw and place a supporting arm around him, beckoning him to sit and rest.

"He needs to rest for a moment," his predecessor said to their companions, who all waited expectantly to hear what had happened. There was an unspoken call for silence as Link was helped down to sit on the stone steps of the dais. He winced in pain a little as his leg and back protested his movement. It was not until he had caught his breath that they inquired.

"So," Gaepora started with bird like intensity. "Can you open the Gate of Time?"

"We haven't gotten that far," Link's predecessor answered almost in a whisper. "But Fi has awoken, and she allowed us to communicate to one another through her." He seemed to hesitate on his next words, as if the struggled to come out. "I've seen everything that has happened to him," he added with a grave and ominous tone that sent shivers down the spines of his companions. " _Everything,"_ he reiterated.

Link looked up to his predecessor, who returned his gaze with an expression of absolute pity and sorrow. Now he truly understood what had happened to him. In a way, it was disarming. Link felt as if he finally had someone who understood his struggle. He was supposedly his spiritual equal after all, why would he not understand? Perhaps he had not suffered physically in the same way, but he must have surely dealt with the suffocating stress of such dire responsibilities. Then again, in his namesake's time, he had the aid of the goddesses, and the Triforce, the Master Sword, and most of all: the woman he loved.

The world certainly did feel unjustly cruel to him.

He shook his head, trying to push against his self-pity. _Pity will get me nowhere,_ he told himself. _I need strength and courage. I can be better._ It was a rare instance that he actually felt empowered by his self-aimed pep talks. _Maybe Jonathan's optimism can still rub off on me after all,_ he thought with a chuckle. Perhaps reliving his memories was not all bad. He had some good ones in there. It only made him yearn for home even more.

"I can explain everything at a better time," the old hero declared. "I'm sure our friend doesn't want to go through it all again. And quite frankly, there's too much to go through." There was and understanding and encouraging smile on his lips, and it filled Link with gratitude. He was glad to call him his ancestor. Link's companions were incredibly understanding as well. They patiently waited for him to recuperate without asking a single question outside of his wellbeing. He smiled and nodded reassuringly, just happy to have people who seemed to genuinely care about him.

It did not take long until he felt strong enough to move again, and so with help, he stood back up and hopped back to the Master Sword, placing it on the hilt in unison with his predecessor.

" _Fi,"_ his predecessor said. " _Now that you know what is at stake, is there any way you can help us send Link back to his own time?"_

" _I can,"_ she replied. _"Although, that will require more information, and time to process it."_

 _What sort of information?_ Link asked.

" _I need information to determine how far to send you. Unfortunately, from the information I have gathered, the metric of time your people use in your era does not match that of what the people of this era use. The dates and years that have been associated in your mind do not line up with our current section of time. Somewhere in the ages they must have changed calendar systems, and scanning your memory does not reveal when these changes occurred. In addition to this, without knowing what those changes were exactly, I have insufficient data to confidently send you through the Gate of Time. You could end up entirely too early, or too late."_

" _Is there a way we can we can fix that?"_ Link's ancestor asked.

" _There are two things that I can try,"_ she said plainly.

 _The first being?_ Link asked with a skeptical tone.

" _I need a sample of your blood. If I can separate and examine the strands of Deoxyribonucleic acid contained in your white blood cells, I might be able to both reverse engineer your ancestral family tree, track it all the way back to this current era, and then forward engineer a sample of one of your biological ancestor's blood."_ Both men stared at each other bewilderingly.

 _Do what now!?_ Link gawked.

" _What does that even mean, Fi?"_ his predecessor asked more intelligibly.

" _Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, if it easier for you to call it, is the genetic code that serves as the blueprints for nearly all living things. When a child is conceived, it receives DNA from both its mother and father. This DNA instructs how the child will be formed in the womb, as it draws on the information passed down from the parents. That is why children look like their parents. They are in essence, a culmination of their combined genes. If we can find a confirmed ancestor to Link in this present time, we can cross reference his DNA with that of his ancestor, and follow the sequential steps the DNA has taken to form into what it is in the future. It would be a rough estimate, but determining how many generations has passed based on the average life span of your people will narrow down the timeframe considerably."_

" _So,"_ the old hero began hesitantly. _"Is it possible that he is not my true descendant?"_ Link's spiritual predecessor asked, not even bothering to question what her ceaseless overload of technical information meant.

" _Possibly. Although, considering the low population of Hylians on the surface and in Skyloft, I would find it to be very likely that he is related to you, if at least in the smallest way. The exponentiality of chances increases with every following generation. I could relay the mathematical probabilities to you, if you would like?"_

" _Ehm. Honestly, I don't think my brain could handle it."_

 _Me neither,_ Link chimed in.

" _Very well,"_ she responded unemotionally, as usual.

 _And what about the second option?_ Link asked, still hopelessly incapable of even beginning to understand the strange intelligence that spoke to them in riddles.

" _By scanning your memories, I can turn my attention to the heavens, and observe the stars. Using basic trigonometrical analysis, I should be able to plot and calculate their trajectories and current placements, and cross reference them the stars in the sky in our current time. With that information, I should be able to calculate how far the earth has moved in respect to the heavenly bodies, which will determine how many years are between now and then."_

" _So, we will use the stars to get him home?"_ His predecessor asked.

 _Hylia alive,_ Link gaped, forgetting that they could hear him. His heart swelled as his mind was brought back to a very particular, and unforgettable night on the bridge between Princess Zelda's room and study. A memory that the heavens would always grace him with.

 _"You know, I heard that before the goddesses departed from this world, they left us with one last gift,"_ he remembered her say _. "They created the stars, so that we could navigate our world. So that even in the dark of the night, we could find our way back home. Though our world may be plunged into chaos, into war, at the end of the day all he had to do was look up. And we would know where we stood."_

" _Always…"_

She was right all along. The stars would lead him home. Goddess, it was like breath of fresh air, and yet a weight on his shoulders all at the same time. Zelda, _his Zelda,_ was right there in his mind and heart, leading him home with her words of wisdom. He did not realize it, but he must have absentmindedly projected the memory, and all the raw emotions attached to it, as he felt his predecessor's presence shift and perceive the overwhelming flow of sentimentality.

" _She really is special to you, isn't she?"_ he asked in a tone so soft and understanding that it surprised him. More than anything, he asked it as if it were a rhetorical question.

 _Yes,_ Link replied melancholily, returning to the reality of solitude that he had to face. There was a drawn-out pause, which was uninterrupted by Fi, who seemed to grasp the significance of what had transpired.

" _I understand,"_ the old hero whispered. He did not need to say it, he could feel it in the heart of his namesake. _"Well, I may not completely understand the societal standards of your time, but if there is one thing I can say with certainty; it's that I full heartedly implore you to not let it stand between you and her. Our mortal lives are too short, too precious, to let such things divide what is at the core of our humanity. You are bound to her, as she is bound to you…"_

Link withdrew his hand before the shame of his bodily inability ravaged his mind. _Her bloodline must continue,_ he reminded himself, grasping onto his composure with the last inkling of his will power, forcing the pain away with a cruel hand. _It couldn't and shouldn't have ever gone this far. I would rather die before I am the cause of the end of the Royal bloodline. Besides, with any luck I can prevent all of this from ever happening_. With a steeled heart and mind he placed his hand back on The Sword and stoutly declared: _It is my sworn and sacred duty to ensure the safety and security of the Royal Family, and its bloodline._

It was simple but effectively entailing, and contextually revealing. His predecessor said no more on the matter, as he seemed to fully understand what he meant. Apparently, Link's resoluteness also dissuaded all further counter argument, despite how he could feel the desire to do so in his predecessor's mind in addition to the pitied sorrow that he bore.

 _Fi,_ Link said, forcing the discussion onward. _Are you certain it will work? Can you determine how far ahead to send me?_

" _To ensure the efficacy of our goal, I will need time to process both options. There is the possibility of inaccuracies in the data that your DNA will provide, and while the average Hylian brain is certainly more capable of retaining subconscious memory than it is given credit for, there is the likelihood that there could be slight errors in how you remember the star fields looking, which would affect the accuracy of my calculations. However, I can get you to the correct time within a reasonable degree."_

 _About that,_ he said as his outlandish idea finally formed into a cohesive request. _I would like to be sent back to before Ganondorf sent that dark spirit to possess me in my mother's womb. I will kill it before it kills my mother, and then I will warn the King of the impending invasion seventeen years in the future. I will prevent everything that happened to lead me here in the first place._

" _I would advise against such action, Master Link."_

 _Why?_ he said, exasperated.

" _Meddling with one's own past is a dangerous endeavor. It can result in paradoxes which will effectively write yourself out of time itself. It is too risky."_

 _Well aren't I 'meddling' with my past right now!?_ he snooted.

" _Not necessarily,"_ Fi responded impassively. _"You have not yet been conceived yet. What you do here will now not have a drastic effect on time, as you are so far away from your own era. However, the closer you come to your own past, the more dangerous it gets."_

 _Well that's a risk I'm willing to take. If I can reverse these events, I will do it._ There was a brief pause, and Link could feel both Fi and his predecessor contemplating his stubborn determination.

" _Very well,"_ she finally said. _"I will begin my calculations. I will need a sample of blood from both of you. If I do not find a match between you, then you will need to gather samples from the other Hylians of Skyloft and the surface in order to find a true ancestor."_

" _How do we give you the samples?"_ Link's predecessor asked.

" _Grip the cross guard of the Master Sword with your blood on your hand. I will only need a little. Just ensure that your bloods do not mix. Grab opposite sides, and use separate clean cutting utensils."_ Link and his predecessor withdrew, and nodded at one another.

"We need two knives," the old hero declared.

"What for?" Gaepora and Zelda both asked with mirroring raised brows.

"Long story short, in order for Fi to determine how far back to send Link, she needs a sample of his blood, and my blood. If we are truly related, she can examine our bloods and determine how many generations have passed between us. Or at least, that's what I think she means. I have a small dagger, but she specifically requested we use separate knives."

"And what if you two are not related?" Doctor Levi pressed in, handing him a small pocket knife from his belt pouch.

"Then we will have to find someone who is Link's true ancestor," he replied. After taking the knife from Doctor Levi, he opened it and held it out to Link. "I can help you make a little cut. Trust me?"

Link nodded and held out his hand. With cautious precision, his predecessor made a small incision on the pad of his right hand, where the bandages left exposed skin. It only stung a little, but Link hardly reacted. It would take a lot more pain to make his wince now when he was expecting it. Link put his hand on the Master Sword's cross guard, and waited for his spiritual predecessor to do the same. With a silent flinch, the old hero copied the process on his hand with his clean dagger, then placed his hand on the opposite side of the cross guard.

" _That will be enough. Thank you,"_ Fi said after a brief pause. _"This will take time, as there are millions of calculations I must make. I would advise resting until the morning. Return to me when the sun has risen. I will have an answer then."_ After her statement, Fi unceremoniously withdrew her presence, and began her busy work.

"Fi says she needs time. We will come back in the morning. I can explain everything over tea and dinner."

There was no protest to that. There journey back was much more enjoyable and high spirited, as Link began to feel hopeful that his plan just might work. Still, he tried to maintain his emotions and not become too excited. _Not out of the woods yet,_ he reminded himself.

The company returned to the quaint homestead of the first Hero and the first Descendant, and congregated in the kitchen for mugs of warm tea. Link's predecessor began recounting everything that he had seen and heard between long sips. He was glad to find that his predecessor avoided expressing the terribly deep emotions that were attached to his memories, as he mostly gave a more analytical report which summarized his lifelong tale starting from his chance meeting with Princess Zelda, the blood descendant of the mortal Hylia.

That did not stop him from praising Link's valiance and prowess in battle, however. He captivated their guests with a vibrant retelling of his battle with the strange beast called a Lynel in Damel Forest, and how he saved the mythical MiarindÍl from her bonds, and then he described how he effortlessly beat each of his opponents during the tournament of Princess Zelda's seventeenth birthday, eventually being appointed her personal royal escort.

"Related or not," his predecessor began. "It makes me proud to see how courageous and skilled you are."

 _Was,_ Link wanted to say. _How skilled I once was._ However, he did not interrupt. It would have been rude to make such a gloomy correction, and so he hid his emotion. Gaepora gave Link a pat on the back as his son-in-law described how he selflessly hunted down the Yiga bandit and his cronies, and ensured the safety of Kakariko Village and all its gentle people.

"So the Sheikah tribe lives on!?" Zelda beamed with a giddy smile.

"They do! There was even an Village Elder that was named Impa," the old hero responded fervently. Link assumed, given their excitement, that they must have known someone who was of Sheikah descent who shared the same name. He added it to the list of questions he wanted to ask his predecessor before returning his attention to his predecessor's colorful storytelling, feeling a little bashful, but flattered.

Link sighed with relief when his predecessor skipped over the argument he and the Princess had the day after the Yiga ordeal, when he denied her advances with a harsh and cold shoulder. Link nodded his appreciation, to which his predecessor returned with an understanding but encouraging grin.

From there, despite his predecessors best attempts to make the subject matter lighter, the story began to take a much more melancholy and serious turn. He chose to take his leave and rest in his room when the story grew rough, and wrote down his apologies, as well as his thanks.

"I'll come and check on your bandages before supper, after you've rested," Doctor Levi said as Link shuffled back to his room. He only nodded, knowing what embarrassing activity was to come, but the doctor was vague enough that it did not draw anyone else's attention. Link closed his door and laid down in his bed, trying not to hear the whispers in the other room. Apparently, his predecessor had put on a much cheerier show before for his sake, as in his absence, the tone was much, _much_ darker, and terrifyingly serious. From what he could make out, he was describing the instance when Ganondorf had the darkling stab him over, and over again, healing him in between bouts, so that he could start all over again. The room grew quieter after that. They must had come acutely aware how much their voices carried through the walls.

Link tried to take a nap, but found that the sleep he desired did not come easily, as he tossed and fidgeted for an hour. To distract his mind, he began to meticulously examine the spare bedroom he was in for interesting details. He was surprised to find that Zelda had left her golden harp resting against the wall opposite of him. After some contemplation, he stood up, and shuffled over to it. There was a slight hesitation in his hand, but eventually he picked it up and brought it back to his bed and sat down. He held it in his arm as he had seen her do, although his splinted fingers made it a difficult task. However, those same splints were also ridged enough to serve as surrogate picks for the string instrument. He tried plucking one lightly with his thumb, testing to see if it would hurt, and to his joy he found that it did not bend his fingers at all, resulting in no pain. The note was a little harsher that when she played it with her soft fingers, but the note that resonated out was still beautiful.

With slow and thought out movements, Link began to pluck the strings in a progressive scale, trying to memorize which string made which pitch. At least Ganondorf had not taken away his ability to hum, as he began to hum the lullaby he heard at the King's funeral. Starting from the first note, he ran his finger-splint-picks down the scale until he found the right note and internalized its placement. From there he went to the second, then the third, fourth, and fifth note, all the way until he had associated every note of the melody to a string on the harp.

He smiled endearingly. He had never played an instrument before. Instruments were too expensive a luxury for him to have ever experienced as a child, and quite honestly, he never would have had the time back home now that he was grown. However, there, thousands of years in the past, all he had was time, and so he reveled in the rare opportunity to play such a beautiful instrument. He practiced the melody several times over, often forgetting the order of notes, or falling out of rhythm, but after a few tries, he grew more confident and succeeded more often.

"Do you play instruments back home?" a sweet feminine voice asked. The Zelda from the past had snuck through the door so silently that he had not even noticed. The silent intrusion startled him, and he instinctively put the harp down, as if he were in trouble. "No, it's okay. Please feel free to use it! I think it would be wonderful if you had something to use with your hands for." After seeing the honesty in her smile, he was put at ease, and held the harp in his hands again. "So do you play?"

Link shook his head.

"Then I will endeavor to teach you!" she declared, sitting down on the wooden chair next to his bed. "Of course, very slowly. I wouldn't want to hurt your fingers, but once they're healed I would love to teach you at least a few songs. If you'd like." Link smiled and nodded kindly. It was an exciting proposition to say the least. "Great! Can I hear what you've worked on so far? What little I heard sounded beautiful."

That was a tall order to fill. Still, he was determined not to disappoint, and so he began to pluck the familiar lullaby very slowly, grunting every time he plucked a wrong note. She never judged or laughed at him whenever he messed up, however. She only smiled encouragingly and urged him to keep trying. She was going to make a wonderful teacher, he was certain of it.

"I'm impressed," she bragged when he completed his rough song. "For someone who never played an instrument before now, you have an incredible ear for picking up melodies. I bet you could become a great bard, if you wanted to try." Link tried to find the joke in her eyes, but there was no lie. She meant it. "You're a fast learner," she added with a smile. He nodded his gratitude for the compliment, then put the harp down on the bed, allowing his arms to rest for a moment. During his break she picked up her harp and held it in her arm. "Would you like to hear another song? It has lyrics, and I think you would like it."

He grinned readily and adjusted himself to sit more comfortably. After she cleared her throat, she began to play a cascading melody accompanied by her soft voice. It was a simple but entrancing piece.

" _Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess, unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land._

" _Oh youth, show the two whirling sails the way to the Light Tower...and before you a path shall open, and a heavenly song you shall hear."_

"That same song helped me imbue the Goddess Sword with the Sacred Flames that transformed it into the Master Sword," Link's predecessor said as he leaned against the doorframe, having listened to the song. "Perhaps when Fi is not busy, I can show you _my_ adventures, Link. I think you would benefit from it."

Link tried to suppress his smile, as the thought of getting the chance to see his predecessor in action was an exhilarating idea, but despite his efforts, a huge grin curled his lips upwards. It was the answer his predecessor hoped for. "Can't wait," is all he said with a contagious chuckle.

"Well, I guess we should start preparing dinner," Zelda said as she returned the harp to Link's hands. "I'll send Levi in, so he can make sure you're in tip-top shape."

Link hid the pang of awkwardness that began to surface from that comment. _Better get over it,_ he told himself. _Nothing to be done about it now._ He nodded and watched as his ancestors leave, and the ugly, but very kind doctor enter. He was carrying a large bag, which was overflowing with bandages, elixirs, poultices, and medical utensils. With a tired grunt he placed the heavy bag on the side table next to Link's bed, then shuffled back to the door and closed it.

"This shouldn't take too long," he said encouragingly. "More of a checkup more than anything. Fresh bandages should do you some good, especially after our long walk." Link nodded begrudgingly, pulling his tunic and undershirt over his head with the doctor's help, and let the him set about his work, checking his splints, applying a cold, yellow tinted salve on his back along with a slight cloth that clung to the moisture. He applied a similar concoction to the small burn on his chest, and then he covered it with a gauss wrap. From there he examined the broken ribs on his side.

"Unfortunately, the only thing I can do about the ribs is give you an elixir to help with the pain. They should heal just fine on their own, and then we will work on breathing exercises to strengthen the tender area." With his back and torso taken care of, Doctor Levi moved on to the none essential, but painful bruises on his face, and the gash just below his right ear lobe that he received from the same wooden bat that broke his ribs. There was at least good news in that regard, as the cut was not large enough to need stiches, and the scab that formed prevented any more bleeding.

Then came the part Link really dreaded. Luckily, Doctor Levi made quick work of applying fresh bandages and a healing salve down below, handling the situation with absolute professionalism. "You were lucky enough that he healed you to the point you are at," Levi commented. "Otherwise stiches would have been necessary."

That was a reality that he was relieved had not come.

"You can only get better from here," Levi chimed with a hopeful tone. "Your flesh wounds should be fully healed in a month or so, and we can remove your finger splints after six weeks. However, once we do, you must promise me that you won't stress them. We must take it very slow, and rebuild your finger dexterity with careful therapy. With any luck, and the blessings of the goddesses, you will at least be able to perform most basic functions. But, I cannot guarantee anything. I've never seen fingers broken so badly. You will certainly lose most grip strength."

 _That will make killing that vile creature a lot harder,_ he sneered, visualizing running a sword through his darkling's chest. _But I guess I knew it would be all along. I'll find a way._ Link nodded his understanding and sat back down on his bed.

"That thing in your leg can wait for now," Levi commented as he packed his supplies and helped him redress. "It does not seem to be causing trouble now, but eventually it could begin to move around in there and burrow in and cause sharp pain. You will want it removed someday, but it is not crucial for now."

He was left to rest for a while longer, as his companions prepared their dinner. He tried playing the song Zelda had sung for him, but he found that to be much more difficult than the simple melody of the lullaby he already practiced.

Eventually, after boredom took over, Link stood on his crutches and hobbled out into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, content with just listening to the others speak and mingle. They spoke mostly of their home in Skyloft, from which Link could only gather was a floating city above the clouds that they accessed with their Loftwings. His desire to fly one of those majestic creatures only increased with time. His predecessor promised he would let him try, once he was well enough, and Link intended to hold him to that promise.

There was another pot of soup simmering on the wood stove which smelled of mushrooms and meat. Another exquisite meal that Link's stomach growled for. He wished that he could have brought his collection of spices that Robert, the Castle Cook, had given to him. It would have made his ancestors cooking that much better, as they seemed in short supply of proper spices aside from salt. Sadly, those spices were in his saddle bag, and who knew if that damned skittish horse he rode before his abduction survived the storm.

 _I wonder if they're looking for me?_ The thought made him feel a little guilty.

After a delicious meal, Gaepora and Doctor Levi took their leave, bidding Link their continued support and promised to return. Link thought to request that Gaepora return with more paper and ink, as he expressed that he wished to continue writing down his story so that in case he need to explain himself to the King once he went through the Gate of Time, he would have the means to do so quickly.

"And I'll help you write it," his predecessor declared, lightly patting him on the shoulder, avoiding the scabs on his back. "I know your story as well as you do now, and I can write a lot faster than you for the time being." It was a generous offer that Link accepted with a grateful heart.

He watched with childlike glee as Gaepora and Levi took to the sky on their Loftwings in the evening sun before they finally retired indoors for the night.

Using a clean rag, a bar of soap, and a basin warm water, Link' predecessor helped him clean his arms, legs, and chest of sweat he had accumulated during their strenuous walk early that day, avoiding all the bandages and tender spots. It was refreshing to say the least, despite how he felt bad for being a continued burden. However, his predecessor seemed more than happy to help him, and tended to him in a fatherly way.

"It's a shame to see your hair so short," he said with a hint of humor as he gazed up to Link's hairline. "You really did have a fine set of golden locks huh, Golden Boy?" Link chuckled lightly, remembering his victory in the fighting pit at Fort Hateno, and how they nicknamed him Golden Boy. How those soldiers cheered him on as he beat every opponent. Those were the days; when his shield-brothers did not detest his very presence. At least not most of them…

His predecessor seemed to understand his thoughtful expressions as he patted him on the shoulder and smiled. "Let's get you dressed, and off to bed. We have a long day tomorrow, and you'll need as much rest as you can get." Link yawned as he stretched out onto his bed after taking his nightly dosage of healing elixir. Whatever was in the elixir, it made him incredibly drowsy, but the pain was almost non-existent now.

It was the easiest he had slept in weeks.

Their morning was uneventful as they ate breakfast and prepared to travel back to the Sealed Temple, but Link was feeling refreshed and optimistic. His ancestors ―if they truly were his ancestors― took notice in his mood, and commented that he looked remarkably better than the day before. The swelling around his eye had gone down considerably, allowing him to see easier through both eyes, and his skin color was much warmer and brighter.

"Father should be back by this evening with more paper and ink," Zelda said as they walked on the gravel road that split the tranquil forest. The trip was not as physically demanding as the day before, Link found. He did not need as many breaks to catch his breath, and it felt good to stretch his muscles a little. They made excellent time to the Sealed Temple. Ephona greeted them at the Goddess Statue with a cheery chortled call, and drifted down to meet them, craning her long neck down and nuzzling Link with her beak.

"She wants you to ride," his predecessor said with a grin before turning to address his bird. "Someday, girl," he said as he stroked the feathers on her neck. "When he is stronger." It made Link's heart swell with excitement. He noticed that nearby there was another Loftwing gently drifting on the high breeze, which shone in the morning light with a light purple hue. He thought that it must have been Zelda's Loftwing, as its decorative harness matched the belt that was tied around Zelda's waist.

However, that was of little importance now. They had work to do, and he was eager to hear the news that Fi would provide. The suspense clung to the air like humidity. As they entered the Sealed Temple, Link's companions did not say a word, they only exchanged the occasional reassuring or encouraging glance. They approached the dais that the Master Sword rested on with reverent footsteps before climbing the stairs slowly. With a deep breath, Link and his predecessor placed their hands on the Master Sword and waited to feel Fi's presence.

" _Master. I have good and bad news."_ It made his heart squeeze with worry.

 _Well. What is it?_

" _After examining the blood samples you provided, I can confirm that you are indeed your spiritual predecessor's biological descendant, although the relation is so minute that it almost undetectable."_

" _Does that mean he has the Blood of the Goddess in his veins?"_ Link's ancestor asked curiously.

" _No. That is a trait that is matriarchal in nature. It can only be passed from mother to daughter. It is why the descendants of Hylia are always female. In a way, they are not even truly related to their male kin."_

 _What else?_ Link asked, curtly pressing the conversation on.

" _I have also performed my observation of the stars in your memories, and the stars that are displayed in this current time. As I feared, based on the mathematical models I created, your brain has forgotten their placement in the slightest ways. However, I have determined, within a reasonable degree, how far into the future I need to send you."_

" _Is that they bad news?"_ Link's ancestor dared to ask hesitantly.

" _No,"_ Fi said plainly. It sent a shiver down his spine, and set his heart of edge. _"I cannot send you back to save your mother, or to warn your king. I can only send you to when you were pulled from your timeline."_

 _Why!?_ Link moaned.

" _There was a disturbance in the flow of time and space near the time your birth, approximately forty years prior. I have reasonable data to assume that this disturbance was in direct correlation to the events of the Calamity Ganon battle of your immediate predecessors. Your queen, the mother of the latest Descendant of Hylia, used her Sealing Powers to banish Calamity Ganon, sending him away to a prison realm. This release of energy was great enough to send ripples through the fabric of reality, thus it warped the flow of time for all outside perspectives. Those who were inside that timeline were unaffected by the distortion because time is viewed relatively from their perspective. However, in our case, this disturbance is preventing me from sending you to the exact time you have requested. Even if I tried, you would be either propelled to far back, and you would never live long enough to warn the King and Queen of the coming invasion, or you would be propelled forward to the approximate time that you were pulled from that era…"_

 _Fi, I don't understand,_ Link pleaded. His ancestor was thinking the same thing.

" _Allow me to visual demonstrate…"_ A bright light appeared in his mind's eye. Before him the was a single glowing line of golden light, and on one end there was a dot that pulsated in intensity. Fi pointed to the dot and said: " _That represents the present time that we are in."_ Then a second dot appeared further down the line and began to pulsate with a green light. " _And that marks the point you wish to enter, estimated to be 309,876 years in the future."_ A third red dot appeared just slightly before the green one. _"And this red dot represents the events of Calamity Ganon's sealing."_ The red dot began to strobe and swell slightly until it began to form into a pointed slope that stretched upwards, warping the golden line into a peak and consuming the green dot beside it. " _Now, if I attempted to send you back to the time you have requested, between the red and green dot, the forces at play that have created this peak would force you aside, as it would be impossible to gain proper traction, so to speak."_ Fi demonstrated this by summoning a fourth dot of white light that attempted to land on the mountainous peak created by the red orb. As she said it would, the white dot slid down the side of it, and ended up much further down the timeline. She repeated the process on the other side of the peak, which was considerably steeper, and the light behaved the same, sliding all the way down, until it hit a final resting point in a flat section of the time line.

" _This white dot represents you, Master Link. As you can see, due to the disturbance caused by the release of your queen's Sealing Powers, you would be incapable of entering the timeline at your requested moment. You would either be pushed back approximately 132 years to early, or pushed forward to the moment you were taken away from your timeline roughly forty-seven years after the Calamity's banishment."_

 _So I can't save my mother?_ Link whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat.

" _No, Master. I'm sorry."_ There was a flicker of emotion in her voice, and for a moment he forgot that she was nothing more than a machine. _"The best I can do is send you back to the point that you were taken away to the Phantom Realm by the corrupted goddesses. And even that will be done with some unavoidable miscalculations. The data I have been given bears to many biological errors to be absolutely certain."_

The rush of emotion was strong enough to make Link feel lightheaded. Anger was at the forefront of his mind, primal, raw, and dark. His one hope for redemption had been shot, and trampled on. Everything that had led him there was irreversible now, and it set his nerves onto a boiling rage. However, there was great sadness too. Goddess how he hoped he could save his mother and father. He would never get to see their faces again, or hold them, and feel their love. He would have to return to his home with nothing to offer. Broken hands. Broken sword. And missing the Spirit. Tears were already on the verge of pouring over his bottom eyelids.

" _Master,"_ Fi said calmly, pulling him away from the depths of despair. _"There is more."_

" _What is it?"_ his predecessor asked in his stead.

" _Whatever Ganondorf did to create that abyssal black hole in the Phantom Realm, it has, or will affect the nature of time and space itself. If left to its own devices, it will consume everything. Not even Demise, the goddesses, or the heavens will survive its power."_ Fi paused, as if to stress the importance of her words. " _Master Link. You are no longer fighting to save your kingdom. You are fighting to save existence as we know it. Without the goddesses to maintain balance, everything will be destroyed."_

Link tried to breathe, but his lungs would not open. He did not even feel the pain when he fell to his knees. Shell-shocked would have been understatement of the state of his mind. He thought the burden of his responsibility was heavy before, but now it was a weight so unbearable he swore it would physically crush him. He alone was responsible for not just saving the world he lived on, but for saving _everything_. He had to save the goddesses that created the earth and heavens, he had to save time and space, he had to save every single living thing in existence. And yet, he could not even walk on his own, nor could he hold a sword. And in addition to that, the Master Sword, the one weapon that could defeat evil, was broken, and the Spirit required to wield it was no longer in his body. He was too shocked to even think properly.

"Link!" a voice ringed in his ear. "Hey, buddy. You're okay. Look at me." Two fingers snapped in front of his eyes, pulling him from his trance. His predecessor's blue eyes were directly opposite of his. "Link, snap out of it. Just breathe."

He did as he commanded and took in a long breath that made his broken ribs hurt.

"Let's get you back to the house. We can finish this later. You're paler than snow." Link nodded and tried to stand, but he still felt pathetically weak, so his ancestors pulled his arms over their necks, and lifted him up, serving as his crutches, and briskly walked back to their house. His head was spinning by the time they laid him back in his bed. His ancestors stayed by his side for a time, trying to comfort him, but all he did was stare at the wall listlessly, utterly dejected. He motioned for them to leave in a way that was rather harsh and rude, but he did not care. He just wanted to sit there and cry in solitude.

 _I'm not strong enough to do this…_

* * *

 ** _Author's note:_** Apologize for the long wait, this chapter was difficult to write because sciencey time stuff is hard to handle. Hope you understood and enjoyed! Please feel free to I.M. if you do not understand something. I will try to explain it better.


	31. Skyloft

Dear everyone,

I'm so so so sorry for the unbelievably late post. I was on a set from Friday till the following Tuesday, working 12-18 hour days. Such is the way of the film industry. Luckily, it pays well, so there's that, and I absolutely love the work. I feel very blessed to get to do what I am passionate, but I still feel bad it took this long to write this chapter. Anyways, school is going to kick my ass the next few days, and I have more work lined up on the weekend, but I think I should be able to pump out another chapter before the end of the weekend. (No promises though, but I will try).

Please enjoy this chapter! :)

P.S. things are going to pick back up after this trailer, so just you wait!

 **-Written in Bold**

 _Chapter thirty-one, Skyloft_

"You're looking pretty tired. You sure you want to try this today?" Link's predecessor asked with a concerned brow, cautiously waiting for his nod or shake.

He was right. Link was tired, but he willed himself to at least try. Long gone was the peace of refreshing sleep at night. Not even his medical elixirs could warrant enough potency to let him rest easy. Link was miserable to say the least. He had lost count of how many weeks ―months at this point― had passed since Fi had told him the horrid news of his unavoidable predicament, and no amount of gentle persuasion from his ancestors would pull him from his bad mood, save this once instance. The spell of disbelief of everything that had happened to him had finally wore off, as the traumatic experiences of his time locked away in the Phantom Realm came to haunt his dreams. He was no longer shell-shocked, no longer in denial. He was only filled with despondence.

Too often did he awake in the middle of the night, every inch of his body aching in pain as he gasped for breath, and sweat pouring down his face. His stomach would lurch when he would dream of the burning knife being sunk into his abdomen endlessly, only to be healed, and pierced once again. Sadly, however, even that experience paled in comparison to the recurring nightmares of his mutilation. His desire and ability for a future, a family, all of it was taken away in an instant. Ganondorf had been very thorough. The wants of the flesh no longer had a strong grasp on him. Whatever desire did remain was that of a deep-seated drive that transcended the impulses of virility. Desires that he could never fulfill. The pain felt to real to be a dream. Anger, hopelessness, sadness; how could that trifecta of emotion ever be truly displaced if love of a deeper kind would be denied? Too many times had Link wiped away tears that ran down his cheeks without him even realizing it. Was he truly in such a pathetic state that even crying did not warrant a mental response?

Still, he tried to hide it by the time his ancestors awoke. They did not know about his nightmares… At least not to his knowledge.

Fi was very clear. There was no way he could prevent the terrors of his past. He could not save his mother, father, or king. He could never fix his foolish mistakes and shortcomings. He could not reverse the horrors he had endured. No, he had to wait and fully heal ―or get as close to it― then travel through the Gate of Time and return to his own present time where he had no family, no king, no Master Sword, no Spirit of the Hero, no voice, and no true strength.

Courageously, his predecessor volunteered to travel through the Gate of Time with him, and assist him in any way he could, but that too was shot down as a possibility. His ancestor had to stay and ensure that his bloodline would endure, otherwise Link would have never come into existence, and the end of their world would have been indefinite. The risk was too great. If his ancestor died, then the battle would have already been lost before it even began. Besides, Link did not dare ask for such a sacrifice from the man who already put in his fair share.

His ancestor also discussed trying to gift him the Master Sword from his timeline, but Fi was quick to remind him that if he pulled it from the pedestal and sent it with his descendant, then that would in effect be the same risk as going himself. If Link were to fail, or somehow be incapable of sending the Master Sword back, then their defeat would come much sooner, as there would be no Master Sword in the past to ward off the Evil. Besides, it appeared that the Spirit of the Hero no longer resided in him either, rendering him incapable of pulling the Sword from its pedestal in the Sealed Temple. And so, they were back to square one, which meant healing up, finding a way to restore his Master Sword, and form a plan. They were all responsibilities Link had been pushing off for weeks; except the healing. That, obviously, could not be stopped.

Still, even if Doctor Levi's therapy could restore most of the basic functionality in his fingers, he would likely never be able to hold a sword with the strength required to fight. 'Arthritis will plague you at an early age,' he told him weeks prior during a routine checkup. 'But have faith. I'm sure you will find a way.' Link knew he only said it to help cheer him up, but it was a bate that he did not bite. At least the rest of his body would heal up just fine. His back was nearly rid of most of the scabs, which were replaced with light pink scars. His ribs still ached a little, but the bruise had gone away, and it did not hurt to breathe deeply. The shard in his leg would give him strife over time, but that too could be removed and patched back up. And, last but not least, unspoken places had finally become manageable and only hurt slightly, as long as it was not disrupted too harshly. For the time being, his fingers were the only real issue, excluding the mental traumas.

He thought that maybe MiarindÍl could fix him properly, but would it be possible if the wounds he had sustained had already healed? Last time she healed him she was not even able to prevent him from scaring, and even if she had grown stronger since then, could she regrow bones that had already healed, or regrown entire body parts? At this point, clinging to hope was a losing proposition, and so he did not even try to think about it. Link was a pessimist in the making, or more accurately, a pessimist who had begun a journey to a twisted and darker view of fatalism.

The universe was out to get him, there was no doubt about it. At least he had this one opportunity.

"Link?" his predecessor asked again, pulling him from his deep thought. Link nodded, but his ancestor seemed unconvinced. "It's okay if we wait one more day. Ephona is a patient creature. She can wait."

Link forced a smile, trying to display his confidence, but in truth he was a little worried about the possible pain it would bring to straddle the neck of the majestic crimson bird. He gritted his teeth before forcing the determination back to the front of his mind. No. If he was going to be miserable for a few months ―or for the rest of his life― he at least wanted to travel by air, and enjoy the freedoms it brought. Hylia alive, it was the one thing he was looking forward to for the past few weeks, and no amount of pain would stop him now.

A suppressed grin stretched across his ancestor's lips, clearly excited at his determination. Link was beginning to think that his predecessor wanted him to fly as much as he did. "Alright! Let's get going then," he said cheerfully, strapping the rein-like belt around Ephona's neck. "I, ehm," he continued hesitantly. "I talked to Fi about what we could do about the Goddess Sword. She said that there is really only one possible solution." His predecessor stopped working and clasped his hand behind his back, clearing his throat. "For starters, we will need to find a talented blacksmith who can fix the fracture in the center. She has requested that whoever we find to achieve that task be brought here so she can give him or her very specific instructions. After that…" he trailed off. "After that I'm afraid everything is up to you and your Zelda."

 _Go figure,_ he scoffed, but tempered his expression to neutrality.

"After analyzing your memories further, the only helpful advice she has to offer it that you find a way restore the Sacred Flames. I already tried visiting one of the temples that once housed one of those ancient flames, but unfortunately is seems that it is dormant… Our only guess now is that you try releasing the goddesses from Ganondorf's spell. Perhaps your Princess could help you. Surely her powers could do something."

Link's frown seemed to entail his uneasiness about such a blind-firing plan quite well, as his ancestor rolled his shoulder uncomfortably and said: "I know it's not much of a plan, but honestly, if Fi can't think of something, then I doubt I will ever be able to think of something. I want to help you in any way I can, but I can only do what I know how to do."

Link nodded his gratitude with thinned lips, regardless of how despondent he was.

"Until then, I suggest we just take this slow and easy." Link nodded. "I'll be up front steering. You just hold on. We will tackle this together."

 _Together,_ Link echoed. At least for now he had something akin to family in the distant past.

After securing the rein around Ephona's neck, Link's ancestor hopped up on the agile bird, and offered his hand to pull him up, holding out his foot to serve as a substitute step. Careful to avoid the splints on Link's fingers, he grabbed his by the arm and helped heave him up. Link winced in pain as he came to settle down behind his predecessor, but he pushed past the pain and nodded that he was ready.

"Okay. Taking off with two people on her back will be hard for Ephona, which is why I chose this spot to do it." Link's ancestor pointed to the steep incline ahead of them, which offered a natural lading zone should they fall for any reason, as well as making it easy for Ephona to start her flight by gliding down and gaining altitude, instead of taking off directly from the ground. "She's no stranger to carrying two people, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

With a gentle stroke of the neck, Ephona began to trot to the cliffside, spreading her wings to gain lift, then leapt over the short drop off, stretching her feathers wide with powerful flaps to send them skyward. Link's heartrate increased with nervous excitement, holding on to the straps that his predecessor fashioned up for him, so he could hold on without disturbing his fingers. To his surprise and delight, the pain was minimal, and quite manageable. It only grew easier the higher they climbed.

It was almost like there was a symbiotic between the Loftwing and her master, as she would respond to his gentle nudges effortlessly, and execute his commands with crimson grace. He would shift his hips and shoulders right, and she would bank right. She would lightly pull on her reins and she would push up, and increase her altitude. The wind ripped at their clothes as the flew higher, and it made their eyes water as it blew past, but the sensation of weightlessness as Ephona teetered and pitched downwards brought sheer thrill into Link's heart.

Link would have laughed with childlike delight, but the best his curse would allow was a chesty chuckle. It would have to do. Besides, his toothy smile made up for it, as his ancestor looked over his shoulder and grinned.

"I thought you might be scared, but I don't think I've ever seen you more at home, my boy! Then again, we both are courage personified." His last comment boasted playful pride, as one eye squinted as his grin grew one sided and debonair, bearing the air of youthful vigor. Technically, he was not much older than Link was at the current time, give or take nine years, but he seemed so much older and mature than he really was as he carried himself with such confidence and wisdom that the mistake was easy to make, given that one did not look to closely at his young features.

After gaining substantial altitude, Ephona evened out, and gentle drifted on the currents of wind above the ground. Link looked down to the world below and beamed with a smile. Goddess it was a beautiful landscape. The sky was bluer than he had ever seen it, and the forest was green and youthful, teeming with life and opportunity, and the clouds above were almost in reach. What his predecessor said was true of course. Instead of fear, Link only felt courage. Many others would cringe or yelp in terror, peering down hundreds, if not thousands of feet below, knowing that if they fell they would die, but not Link. It only seemed to strengthen his resolve to go higher. Even as a child he never had an issue with heights. Zelda thought that he was either insanely reckless, or foolishly courageous to climb up the side of her studies tower when they were younger, but to him it was no less daunting than climbing a tree.

His heart squeezed a little as he tried to ignore the emotions that wanted to crawl out as he recalled his Princess under the solitude of the moonlight, when she was his, and he was hers. He quickly cleared his mind and instead focused on the moment of joy he found himself it. Link knew he needed it desperately, as the path that lay before him would likely never give him such happiness again. Besides, the break from the gloom and glum of anger, disappointment, and sadness was a welcomed change. A prospect that pleasantly surprised him.

"You're handling it much better than I thought. Are you in any pain?" his ancestor continued. Link responded with an enthusiastic shake 'no,' even if he technically did… It really was only a little, and he learned to live with constant dull pain. "Would you like to go higher?" he asked, his smile growing larger. Link matched his smile, which came easily, and nodded. "Well. Since things are going to smoothly, lets press on!" With a click of her master's tongue, Ephona began to surge upwards to the clouds with strong thrusts of the wings, until she broke into the body of a cumulous, covering them in a cool mist.

The ground below disappeared behind the thick blanket of white that enclosed them, but they climbed higher and higher until at last they broke through the barrier of clouds, skyrocketing them into the open thin air above. Link thought the sky looked beautiful before, but there, above the soft clouds, there was nothing but an ocean of blue heavens. That is, until they spiraled left. In the distance, Link saw some strange masses of what appeared to be rock floating in the sky.

 _Holy…_

He had heard his ancestors speak of Skyloft so often, but now that he saw it for himself, he found that his jaw hung wide open.

"May I introduce to you, my birthplace. Skyloft. City in the Sky." It really was a city in the sky. There were several _islands_ all clustered together, which all sported a wide variety of buildings, towers, halls, and even water falls, of which dispersed by the time it hit the clouds below. Between each island there were large wood and stone bridges that networked them all together, resulting it what seemed like quite the hospitable and habitable city. Link did not even try to imagine how the city stayed afloat. Maybe it was some ancient technology akin to the one that once allowed Divine Beast Vah Medoh to cruise the heavens that kept the city floating, or maybe it was merely magic granted to them by the goddess Hylia. Either way, it was an astonishing sight to say the least.

"Why don't we pay a surprise visit to Zelda at the Bazaar?" he smirked. "I doubt she will have expected us to make it this far today. And to be honest, I'm a little surprised myself. You're a real trooper."

Link tried to suppress his flattered grin, without much success. Goddess, he was just relieved to have a moment of respite. As they pierced the thin air, heading straight for Skyloft, Link closed his eyes and let his head lean back, feeling the cool air fly past him with blissful appreciation. It was a huge improvement to the stuffy bedroom that he usually hid himself in. Even if the altitude made it a chore to breathe, the air was so pure and fresh that his lungs felt like they were cleansed and born anew.

"Oi! Who's the friend?" an unfamiliar voice boomed through the wind. Link opened his eyes and was surprised to find that a redheaded woman was flying beside them on a fair Loftwing of her own. She was dressed in a tunic similar to the one his predecessor had given him, although hers was a lighter shade of green, and her cap was flat on top.

"He's a relative of mine, in a way," his ancestor answered. The redheaded woman pitched her head, admittedly looking confused by his wording, but did not inquire further. She turned to face Link, and let a little smile stretch across her thin lips.

"The names Karane! It's a pleasure to meet you Mister...?"

"His name is Link. Just like me." His ancestor looked back over his shoulder with a hint of a frown. "I'm sad to say that he is mute." Karane matched her fellow Skyloftian's frown and nodded.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that," she said sullenly, but after a moment of reflection, her frown disappeared, and in its place, took a humorous smile. "But I'm glad I got to meet you, mysterious relative of Link named Link, who looks like Link." Now that he heard it said aloud, it did sound rather silly. They would need to think of a better was to distinguish themselves from one another.

"How are things going at the Academy?" his ancestor asked.

"Great! We had two new students join a while back, and they're tagging along just fine. Other than that, not much has changed, but I won't complain."

"I'm glad to hear it," he replied kindly.

"You know," Karane began mischievously. "We really could use your expertise up here. No one could whip the recruits into shape better that you could. The Academy's students idolize you enough as is. They would follow your every word to the t."

"Thanks again for the offer," he said with a polite smile. "But I simply wouldn't have time. Life is busy down on the surface. It wouldn't be fair to the students, or to Zelda, to split my attention any further. Besides, I have my descendant here to entertain." Karane tried to find the joke in his last statement, but after puzzling his words she simply looked at him completely lost.

"How is he related to you again?" she asked skeptically.

"He's my descendant. He was sent here from the future to heal from some nasty wounds. Has Gaepora not told anyone?"

"He's from the future!?" she shouted, half thrilled, and half disbelieving. "Gaepora has mentioned nothing about him!"

"I'll have to explain another time," he said with chuckle. "We need to get to solid ground before Ephona gets to tired."

"Well, all right. You and your ― _descendant―_ should stop by the Academy sometime then. I'm sure we would all love to hear the story!"

"I think we will, if he's up to it," his predecessor said, nudging his head back to him. Link grinned and nodded readily. It certainly sounded interesting.

"Well, I'll see you two later then! Bye!" Karane banked right, and left just as quick as she had come.

"Karane is one of the high-ranking knights at the Academy," Link's ancestor explained. "I've known her for years. She's married to Pipit, who is also a part of the Academy… I hope you really are up to meeting a lot of people. They will be eager to meet you."

 _Eager to meet me?_ The thought was alien to him. He could not recall the last time anyone was eager to meet him. It was feeling he wanted to get used to, instead of being held in contempt the moment he walked into a room. However, it made him feel nervous. Still, it was better than the alternative, and the way the soothing breeze blew past him helped put his heart at ease.

Goddess, he had not realized how miserable he truly was until he had tasted what the freedom of the open air had brought him. He would do anything to bring that peace back home with him.

Ephona continued to climb higher until they reached a wooden platform that served as a landing pad for Loftwings and their riders. Skyloft, despite being thousands of feet off the ground, seemed like a wonderfully merry city. Its people were busy bustling about their work with jaunty tunes in their hearts, or warm smiles on their faces. In a way, it reminded Link of a much smaller Castle Town, although they did not look at him the same way.

As he and his ancestor walked down the paved streets, those they passed greeted them with the familiarity that one would find among friends, and they extended that kindness to Link. They did not stare at him like he was some strange oddity, or scorn his presence with angry glares for supposedly committing treason like his shield-brothers did. No, they greeted him with joyful voices and kind eyes.

"To the Bazaar," his ancestor said to him with a smile. The _Bazaar_ that he spoke of was a large covered marketplace which was swarming with activity. A familiar hum of several voices all speaking at once fell on Link's ears, only solidifying his comparison of Skyloft to Castle Town and Market Square. Once they were inside, Link gazed upon the open stalls with wonder, and watched as transactions and bargains were struck between vendors and vendees, which usually ended with friendly handshakes or kind goodbyes.

"Hey! Link!" a deep voice shouted from the back of the Bazaar. "Over here!" Link's ancestor motion for him to follow, and so they cut their way through the crowd until they came upon a tall dark-skinned man, who's fiery red hair, golden eyes, and strong chin reminded Link of a Gerudo Warrior, only he was not a woman. He had never seen a Gerudo male before, as they were only born every few hundred years, but goddess, he could not have fit the bill better.

"Good to see you Groose," his ancestor said, meeting his rough handshake as braced for the hard clap on the back from his towering friend.

"Of course it is. It's always good to see me. I'm just to good looking to not be a sight for sore eyes," Groose shouted boastfully, but jestingly. Link's ancestor only rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Groose, I have someone to introduce you to. And there's no easy way to put this but…" He motioned for Link to step forward. "This is Link. He's from the distant future. It seems that he was sent here through some magic in a time of great need. He is my descendant, and a Chosen Hero of his time."

Groose's smug grin downturned into honest confusion and worry. "Are you serious?" he finally asked.

"I'm afraid so… And worse than that, Demise has been set free in his own timeline."

"But I thought we ―er, you sealed him away in the Master Sword," Groose stated nervously. Link's ancestor sighed listlessly before reaching behind him a pulling a long leather bundle from his travel pack.

"We did. But something dreadful has happened." He untied a leather cord on one end, and from it peaked out the handle of the Goddess Sword. With a careful movement, he began to draw the blade from its sheath, and showed Groose the fracture down the center.

"I. I don't understand," Groose stammered.

"Come see us sometime on the surface and I can explain everything. Just plan on it being a long visit. It's a very long story." Groose hesitated for a while longer. He seemed completely stumped by the revelation, and his previously pompous expressions were wrought with humbled concern. When he regained his composure, he turned to face Link and held out his hand.

"Well. I guess it's a pleasure to meet you ―eh, _Link."_ Groose waited for him to return the handshake, but he withdrew when he saw the splints on his fingers. "Oh. I guess a verbal introduction will do," he said as he awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"I'm afraid he's under a spell as well. He is incapable of speaking either."

"Well I'll be damned," Groose declared solemnly, lost in thought. "Well. If it's any consolation, I will try to help where I can. Maybe I can bust out the old Groosenator. Show your descendant what a real hero looks like."

"I'm sure he would enjoy that," Link's predecessor replied sarcastically. "But if you really wanted to be helpful, when it's time for him to leave, he will desperately need travel gear. Anything you can offer from the Academy, I will pay for either by rupee or work."

"Don't worry about payment," Groose said seriously. "All joking aside, if that monster has been released, then we have to do everything to beat him back."

"I appreciate it Groose. Really."

"No problem. Besides," He started with a cocky grin. "It will be my chance to go down in the history books as the heroic Hylian that helped not one, but two Chosen Heroes. Its what Granny would have wanted."

"I hope they do," Link's ancestor relented with a smile. "Have you seen Zelda by chance?" he asked, quickly changing gears.

"I think she's at the Academy visiting Gaepora."

"Thanks. We'll be off then. Please don't hesitate to stop by sometime, and I can explain things better."

"I'm sure I will someday," Groose said. "And then maybe we can finally settle our arm wrestling disagreement, huh?"

"Groose, its been nearly five years. Give it a rest."

"Listen, all I'm saying is that you beat me while I was distracted," Groose insisted.

"Goodbye Groose," Link's ancestor said plainly as he walked away, ignoring the challenge. By the time they were out of ear range, he leaned slightly and whispered. "Groose and I used to ― _disagree―_ with one another when we were younger. It got pretty ugly at times, but when Demise began to make his return, we set aside our differences, and he helped me in my moment of need. Since then, we've come to be good friends. He's changed a lot from the bully I once knew."

 _I wonder if the Knights of Hyrule will set aside our differences and help me?_

"Before we go to the Academy, there's one last person I want to see. I think he will make a fine candidate for our resident blacksmith. His name is Gondo. He's an honest man, so we can trust him." Link nodded, and followed his ancestor through the crowd until they came upon a stall which exhibited a well-maintained workshop. The smell of burning coals raked nostalgic memories of his father's workshop when he was younger. The smell was even accompanied by a familiar ping of a hammer against an anvil, and Link felt like he already approved of the man just by the way he performed his work with diligence and a practiced arm.

"Hey Gondo," His ancestor greeted. "I have some work for you, if you're up to it. I think you will like this project. I'm willing to pay for the extra time."

"Well, what can I do for you, Master Link?" Gondo asked, his eyes covered by magnifying goggles that he often used for delicate work.

"I have a sword that needs to be repaired, but it is no ordinary sword." Gondo tilted his head in interest and waited for him to explain. Link was rather impressed by how well his ancestor was able to explain their situation in such a short amount of time, as within a few minutes Gondo knew exactly what was being asked of him, to which he readily agreed to.

"There's one last thing," Link's ancestor said briefly after his short synopsis. "Fi wants to talk to you before you begin. She has very specific instructions to give you. As you know, this is not your run of the mill steel sword. This needs something more than a furnace and a hammer."

"Well, could I swing by on Sunday? That's when I close shop for the day, so I will have a little free time."

"That will work fine," Link's predecessor replied. "I can't thank you enough Gondo. The world owes you a favor."

"Goodbye, Master Link."

"Bye!"

As Groose had suggested, Link and his ancestor visited the Academy, which was situated on the northwest corner of Skyloft. It was a large and ample building built from strong timber and light painted plaster, and from its large doors and influx of Skylotians poured in and out. Some were young, eyes still bright with the wonders of childhood, and others were older, and much closer to Link's age. There were of course adults, although they seemed to take on the administrative roles, or served as instructors. Karane greeted them with her usual cheery demeanor, and ushered them into the large training hall where a class of younglings were practicing with wooden swords. Link's heart swelled when the fond memories of basic training back in Hyrule Castle flooded his mind. Even when the training was tough, he felt like he always had purpose, and a means to achieve that purpose.

Such was not the case anymore, sadly. His path would be forever tainted and skewed, success seemingly outside the realms of possibility. Link simply pushed the thought from his mind.

The children, and even the adults, greeted Link's ancestors with reverent smiles and strong or nervous handshakes. Karane was right. The students at the Academy idolized their brave hero, and within ten minutes of their arrival, they managed to drag him out onto the training floor so that they could witness his skills in action. No one seemed to pay attention to Link, and to be completely honest he preferred it that way. It felt like ages since he had socialized with such a large group, which was a daunting task to achieve, especially because he could not even speak for himself, and he rather hoped to avoid people gawking at him like he was something to be pitied. As he had always done at the castle, Link set out to slink away against the wall, out of sight and out of mind, and observe from a distance with the same childlike amazement as his ancestor displayed his combative prowess with ease. Those he brushed passed were kind and made room, but they were admittedly distracted, and so he managed to get by without drawing attention to himself, or his badly damaged hands.

From what Link could gather from his well-trained eye, his ancestor was much more skilled than he led on to be, but that did not prevent him from wining every bout of the sparring session with sustaining a single hit. Link wondered if he would be skilled enough to take on the legend before him, but one glance at his fingers and he found his answer with a sour frown.

 _Just a few more weeks, then we will know the worst of it,_ he reminded himself despondently. Accompanying that thought, Link began trying to think of potential alternatives to protect himself. Perhaps a spear would be easier from him to handle, or perhaps a dagger would be light enough that he could get a strong enough grip to at least defend himself. A bow would never do, as it required more finger strength and dexterity than that of a sword, but he thought that perhaps a crossbow would work. A cross bow would allow him to pull the string with two hands as long as it had a foothold, and he could fire it easily with what strength he would have. The only problem he predicted he would run into would be reload time. Bows were quick, accurate, and deadly. However, a crossbow only had two of that criteria, as speed was not the weapon's forte.

 _I wonder if they've invented crossbows yet…_ He scanned the room, and found his answer on a weapons rack on the far wall. He sighed with relief knowing that he at least had the semblance of a plan to protect himself once he got home.

 _Dagger and a crossbow,_ he scoffed. _Better than nothing I guess. I wonder if Groose will let me have one of theirs._ Groose said he would help in any way he could, so Link assumed it was a safe bet he could lay to rest.

He watched his ancestor spar for a little longer, admittedly a little disappointed that he could not glean any substantial knowledge by just watching. While he was without a doubt an extraordinarily skilled swordsman, Link understood his techniques well, even if he was suppressing it.

 _I'm sure he's even better with the Master Sword in his hand._

"Well I'm glad to see you up here!" a sweet voice said as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked back and found that Zelda had snuck up to him, and was watching the show of skill alongside him. "I was hoping you two would make it today. How was the trip?"

Link smiled and nodded, per usual.

"Was the pain manageable?" Link nodded. "Good! I'm glad to hear it. Link ―well, my Link said that if you two could make it that you would stop by and talk to Gondo and ask him to fix the Goddess Sword. Did you get that chance?" She smiled when he confirmed. "Great. That's one thing down! We're on the road to make things right, and I must say, you're looking much happier now that you're not locked away in your room."

Link shrugged his shoulders, but he was inclined to agree. He felt rather guilty for being such a downer for so many weeks, but that was a reality that he finally had the eyes to see now that he was experiencing what it felt like to be ―well _, not entirely miserable_.

 _Guess there's no point in moping about with the unchangeable. Better learn to live with it, and at least not be a bother._

"Really, you do look much happier," Zelda continued. "I can see why _she_ is always trying to make you happy. You're smile is infectious." Link shot her a crooked brow and frown, knowing exactly who she spoke of, but he quickly tempered his expression, disciplining himself to maintain better composure.

"When you get back to her," she said intently in a stern tone, pulling his shoulder so that he would face her. "You better try to be happy for her sake. And I don't mean pretend to be happy. I mean when everything is done, you better find happiness in your life. Don't go throw it all away and live like a hermit like you've threatened to do. She needs you just as much as you need her…"

Link looked away, his heart stung with sadness. _Why did she have to say that? It only makes it hurt worse._ He felt her squeeze his elbow in a motherly fashion before continuing in a much softer tone.

"It will all turn out okay. Have faith."

How could he have faith when those who demanded faith were turned against him? At that point, only time would tell, and so like always, he shoved the rising emotions down.

For the rest of that afternoon, Link and his ancestors toured the beautiful scenery of Skyloft, speaking to many of the ecstatic students of the Academy, who were eager to meet Link after his ancestors explained his lineage. The nervousness he had felt earlier that day disappeared as the students began to crowd around, and offered him kind and welcoming smiles, presenting him with offerings of friendship.

If only he could find this type of kindness among strangers back home.

Seeing that he was being worn out by the large crowd, Link's ancestors ushered him away and they explored the remainder of Skyloft, which was a true delight on its own. They checked in with Gaepora, who offered Link more paper and ink to take back to the surface, and then they visited Doctor Levi in his office, who gave Link a quick once over and declared that his fingers could be freed from their splints in two weeks' time. From there he would begin a rigorous physical therapy that would rebuild his as much of his grip strength as possible.

In total, he estimated another month would be enough for Link to be strong enough to leave. Any time after that would be diminishing returns, and once Link learned to perform his exercises alone, he could continue to build his dexterity without further assistance.

Before long, Link and his ancestors said their goodbyes and returned to the surface, and Link jumped on the opportunity to pilot Ephona. 'It's a lot like leading a horse,' he had said. 'use your knees and hips to indicate how you want her to turn, then use your reins to gain or lose altitude. Ephona is incredibly responsive, and knows the way back so it should be smooth sailing.'

With his ancestors help, Link wrapped the reins around his palms, since he could not use his fingers, and signaled that he was ready. With a click of the tongue Ephona leapt off the landing and began to glide down to the clouds. The feeling of weightlessness was exhilarating, to the point that Link forgot to pull up on the reins to signal Ephona to even out. Link's smile was bright enough to even make the sun envious.

Apparently, he was a natural born flier. That, or Ephona was just anticipating what he wanted. Either way, Link beamed with pride as he drifted through the clouds, his predecessor sitting behind him coaching him with fatherly instruction, and the First Descendant flying beside him on her pale Loftwing. Link was almost sad to see the surface below them, and wished to keep flying. Sadly, as his predecessor mentioned, Loftwings could not see very well in the dark, and so they needed to return home before the sun set.

It was the first day in weeks that he felt better, but he still had many more to go. And from that point, things would only get worse. His coming fate hung over him like death hangs over all mortal things, silent, but always present.

As Gondo had promised, later that weekend he flew down to the surface to meet them, and set out to speak with Fi. He nearly jumped out of his magnifying goggles when he laid his hand on the Master Sword alongside Link's ancestor and Fi entered his consciousness. Whatever her instructions were, they must have been long and detailed, as Gondo declared that he needed to start taking notes, which ended up being nearly eight pages long. The ordeal had taken the better part of an hour, but once it was done, Gondo was electrified with the passion that drove him to his craft, giddy to begin right away.

Feeling uncomfortable with letting the Goddess Sword their of his sight just yet, they all flew back up to Skyloft together, and gave Gondo the sword to being work right away in the safety of his workshop.

"It will take me a week or two, but I will be working on nothing else," Gondo shouted as he rummaged through his materials. "This is my greatest challenge yet, and I aim to succeed!"

"But what about your business? How will you make any money?"

"Money-shmoney," Gondo said without looking away from his work. "There is no better reward than the work itself."

"My father promised that he would help financially, as do all the elders of the Academy," Zelda cut in brightly. "They're all dedicated to the success of this plan."

"Well I guess that settles it. We will give you some room to work then. Don't hesitate to send word if you need anything."

"Yuh huh," Gondo grunted absentmindedly, clearly too engulfed in his work to really be paying attention. With that taken care of, they left the Bazaar and returned to the surface where they set about preparing lunch.

While his ancestors bustled about the kitchen preparing a hearty meal of fish and rice, Link sat down at the table and read over the synopsis his predecessor had written for him, since his fingers made it hard to write. He was certainly detailed, already haven written a stack of paper a quarter inch thick. Its contents, as he had expected, recounted the events from his capture, all the way up until their current time. Secretively, however, Link removed most of the… _Finer_ details of his torture. If his princess was going to read it at some point, the last thing he wanted was to subject her to that kind of imagery. A basic summary no longer than a few paragraphs would do, in his mind. All she would really need to know about was his hands, the Master Sword, his darkling, the removal of the Hero's Spirit, and maybe his leg injury, as those things would be the only real hinderance to his combative abilities. Everything else was unimportant to what they needed to achieve. Scars that would be hidden under his clothing would stay secret. Forever.

 _No need to worry her,_ he convinced himself, trying to avoid the graver facet of that train of thought. _I wonder what she'll think about my muteness?_ he mused rhetorically. _It's not like I talked a lot anyways… Maybe it won't be so bad._

In all honesty, he knew she would fuse endlessly over it, but he would remind her ―in polite writing of course― that other things were more important, and that the restoration of his voice fell low on the list of necessities. In fact, it was not a necessity at all, just a side note. If by some miracle they had a chance at success, all he really needed was the full use of his hands, the Master Sword repaired, and the Spirit of the Hero returned.

 _Not too tall of an order, huh?_ he sneered sarcastically. _I'll just go make pigs fly while I'm at it._ With a refocused eye he returned to his reading while trying to disassociate the words he read from the memories in his mind. His foot tapped nervously, and his forehead grew hot as he strained to compose himself while reliving each moment.

The noise of a knife scraping against something made him jump from his white-knuckled reading. For a moment he swore it was the noise of the same knife that cut…

"Sorry," his ancestor chirped, putting his sharp kitchen knife back down on the cutting board, knowing all too well what caused Link to jump. With a wave of his hand he apologized for his brief upset, and motioned for him to continue with a forced smile before returning to his synopsis.

With his proof read complete, Link retrieved Zelda's golden harp, which she left in his room, and began to practice his favorite lullaby. He had gotten much better at playing, having almost completely grown accustom to plucking with splints. He hoped that once they were removed, his skill would only increase, as he had grown rather fond of the simple but beautiful thing.

It was going to be another sad thing to leave behind.

"Goddess, everyone must be jealous by how easily you learn things," Zelda chuckled as she worked at the stove. "First you learn to fly a Loftwing in a day, and then you learn to play a harp, even with broken fingers. There's something to be said about someone who has that kind of drive."

Link shrugged his shoulders and tried to brush off the compliment like it was no big deal, but he had a hard time hiding his flattered grin.

"Well what do you expect," Link's predecessor gloated with a mischievous grin. "He is my descendant after all."

" _Our_ descendant, mind you," she corrected, playing into his humor.

"I told you about why Fi said. The Blood of the Goddess only runs through the female children. I have no say in the matter. So technically, he's not your blood relative."

"Ah," Zelda scoffed with an annoyed voice. "Technicalities. What do they matter? Family does not always have to be by blood." Link's ancestor grinned and relented with a humble bow of the head, and a peck on her cheek.

"Fair enough," he said. "I guess it's close enough for me." He opened his mouth to add something else, but with a quick glance towards Link he stopped himself and clamped his jaw. Link already had a sneaking suspicious as to what he was going to say, but he did not want to think about it.

Life for the next two weeks remained relatively unchanged. Link would help with what chores his hands would allow, and then they would go and check on Gondo's progress. Apparently, the bulk of his work was not in repairing the sword itself, but rather preparing the materials and tools to achieve such a feat. In his words the Goddess Sword was a 'machine much like the ancient ones that litter the surface. It requires very precise measurements and procedures to be repaired correctly.'

They tried and failed to understand his technical jargon about 'critical temperatures,' 'welding,' 'molecular bonding,' and other nonsense, but according to Fi, he was following the specific set of instructions she gave him, and so they left him to his work.

They had a more pressing matter to attend to.

During their wait, Link and his predecessor made several trips to the Sealed Temple, where they connected to one another through the Master Sword. Link sat and watched as the events of his ancestors past flashed before his mind's eye. In a way, it made him come to appreciate and care for his heroic forerunner, as he recalled his humble beginnings as a young boy in the Academy.

His story, like many of the other Heroes of Old, was a reflection of growing up, and rising to the occasion to beat back the Evil. Link watched with captivated wonder as the memories of his ancestor recalled countless dungeons he delved, treasures he obtained, terrifying beats he slayed, people he saved, friends he made, and at the climax of it all, his final standoff with the Demon King; Demise. Demise was a terrifying being to behold. His skin pulsated with a dark magic, almost like the scales of an evil dragon, and his hair fell from his head like fire. It made his skin crawl.

There was a reoccurring _thing_ that he saw his ancestor did while in the possession of the Master Sword which granted him great power. With his blade held skyward, a bright flash of light would run down its spine, until his sword glowed with energy, and then he would swing to release the bright light in a show of deadly strength.

A _skyward strike,_ they called it.

 _How did you do a skyward strike?_ Link asked as they halted the memory of his ancestor's battle with Demise.

" _Well. Really it's up to Fi. All I simply had to do was raise it high, and ask her to imbue it with the power from the goddess. After some practice, I did not even need to think the words, only the intent. It was a powerful tool, and as you will see, it aided me in defeating Demise."_

Link nodded mentally, and declared that he was ready to continue.

Goddess, with the Master Sword in his ancestor's hand, he fought like a deity. Swift, precise, strong, and most of all boundlessly courageous. He had used several skyward strikes to break down Demises' defenses, until finally a lightning storm rolled in, and he used the energy from a lightning strike to increase the power of his sword, and heaved the energy at his enemy. Demise fell onto his back, and in one smooth motion, Link's ancestor leapt into the air and drove the Master Sword into the monster's chest, absorbing his very being.

 _Thank you for showing me this. Maybe it will help me when I have to face him._

" _Well I pray that you never will. Maybe you can stop Ganondorf before it's too late."_

 _Maybe… Anyways, I'm hungry. Let's go back home._

" _A glutton after my own heart,"_ Link's ancestor joked with a roaring laugh.

As Doctor Levi had promised, at the end of the second week since he had last been through a checkup, Levi began to carefully undo the splints that had held his fingers straight for months. Link held his breath as each finger began to show pale skin underneath, one nail missing from his left hand, but seemingly okay. He noticed right away that the index and middle fingers on his left hand were ever so slightly bent compared to his right hand, but there was nothing they could do about that now.

With Doctor Levi's supervision, Link slowly closed his fingers into a loose fist, which felt stiff and painful, yet also a relief to finally move them after so long. His ancestors watched with hopeful eyes, and cheered him on as he stretched his fingers back and forth. When he held his hands out in front of him, his fingers began to shake, and when Doctor Levi instructed him to grip his hand with as much strength as he could, the barely had the muscle squeeze harder than a child.

It was a little disheartening, but he had been preparing himself for that outcome ever since it happened, so he was not surprised. Another test Levi had him perform was to try to pick up a quill from the table while it laid flat, which he did awkwardly but successfully, and the he moved on to picking up a flat piece of paper with one hand, to really test the limits of his finger dexterity.

The shaking made it difficult, but after fumbling with it for a while, he managed to get a nail under the paper and pinched it between his thumb and index.

"Let's start with some exercises to build up your strength," Doctor Levi finally said after completing his examination. He handed him a small ball a little larger than his palm and instructed him to squeeze it as hard as he could for one second, then release it. Once rep one was done, he would then squeeze it for five seconds. He would repeat that pattern for as many reps as he could and then he would rest and move to the other hand. The exercises were exhausting on his hands, but he pushed through the pain and kept at it.

Once he had a substantial break, Levi produced a small contraption that hooked onto the ends of his fingers, and came together in the palm of his hand with springs. As Levi's command, Link then tried to open his fingers as wide as he could for one second, and then five seconds. Like the exercise before, he would do it until he grew too tired.

They tried a number of other things; spreading his fingers as wide as possible, holding up his own weight on a bar, and writing. All of which he performed less than desirably.

"Well," Levi sighed. "They certainly could be worse, but I can't say that they will be perfect. For now, I want you to perform these exercises one before every meal time. The more diligent and disciplined you are about it, the quicker you can rebuild your strength and dexterity. Aside from that, there's not much else we can do."

"What about playing the harp? Would that help his fingers?" Levi pondered Zelda's suggestion with thinned and thoughtful lips.

"That actually sounds like a wonderful idea. It would help him continue to build strength, and maybe even restore some flexibility. Be careful not to overdo it, as that can be just as harmful as not doing anything, but if you're careful, I think that practicing the harp would help."

Link smiled and thanked the doctor, offering an honest, but pathetically weak handshake and waved goodbye as he flew off on his Loftwing.

"Looks like I can finally teach you some more songs," Zelda said with a warm grin. "If you're up to it." Link agreed with and eager heart, sauntering to his room to retrieve the golden harp that she let him borrow. She started by playing an airy tune, and then he tried to copy it. She smiled and encouraged him, failure or success, which he appreciated tremendously.

And so, per their new routine, every meal they would come together, and Link would perform his exercises, then practice the harp after they ate. Soon Link could feel the improvement in his fingers, but it was certainly not enough to truly wield a sword. He and his predecessor took to practicing with light sparring swords, which always seemed to end in Link dropping it helplessly, even though he held on with both hands. And that was even when they were going half speed.

Unlike playing the harp, sparring made him fume with frustration, but he kept his cool for his ancestor's sake. However, that still did not prevent him from sulking in his bedroom afterwards, cursing his weak fingers, even if they had improved. And so, having nothing better to do, Link dedicated his spare time to strengthening his fingers until they ached around the clock.

He was half way through his lunch time exercises when there was a gust of wind that blew dust under the front door. The tall tale signs of a Loftwing landing. After a moment, there was a knock on the door, and a familiar voice that shouted with excitement.

"It's done!" Gondo declared. "It's back in one solid piece."

"I'll be right there," Link's ancestor shouted back as he walked to the front door and let him in.

"It really is a magnificent sword. Nothing close to the Master Sword, but a masterpiece nonetheless."

"Thank you Gondo," he said. "I don't know how we will ever truly repay you, but perhaps it will make you feel better that because of you, my descendant has a fighting chance."

"That's reward enough." Gondo entered the house and presented the sheathed Goddess Sword to Link. "May it keep you safe until you can return it to its true state." Link offered out his hand, determined to test out what strength he had achieved since they had last seen each other.

 _Better,_ Link sighed, gripping Gondo's hand. _But not good enough._

"Are you hungry?" Zelda asked. "The least we can do is offer you a meal."

"Thank you, but I need to return to the shop. I'm afraid it's been horribly vacant lately." Zelda nodded before continuing.

"I understand. Please, if there's anything we can ever do for you, don't hesitate to call on us."

"Thank you, Zelda." Gondo turned to the remaining hosts and saluted with two jolly fingers. "Link. Link. Pleasure doing business with you two. And best of luck on your return."

"Thank you, Gondo. We're forever in your debt."

Once Gondo had left, Link and his ancestors poured over the Goddess Sword, and ran their fingers down the flat of the blade. Not a scratch or mark was seen. It was the perfect repair.

"Well, I guess that's the last piece to out puzzle. The only thing to do now is wait until its time."

 _Ugh. More waiting._ Link was just ready to get on with it. The anxiety was eating away at him, and as much as he came to love his ancestors, he knew that he could not stay there forever. They had a life to live, and he had a home to return to, and a duty to fulfill.

Exercise, exercise, exercise. That was all Link did for two weeks after that, and he eventually became strong enough to finally hold his own weight up by his hands, as long as it was a small grip, and he could wield a long dagger much more efficiently than a full-sized sword. At his request, Link and his ancestor flew to the Academy, where they retrieved a plain crossbow from the weapons room alongside a quiver of bolts.

A crossbow worked wonders for Link, as he could pull the string back with two hands easily with little flexibility, and then he could fire it one handed. His thatched targets made a satisfying _thump_ noise every time he hit them which made him beam with pride _. A crossbow, and a dagger,_ he thought. _But no mid-range weapons, except the Goddess Sword._ He knew it would have to do.

And then the fateful day finally came. His hands were as good as they were going to get, his other wounds had healed, and his heart cried for his friends, or what remained of them. His ancestors tried to talk him into staying just a few weeks longer to continue to build his strength, but Link could feel it in his bones that muscles were no longer the issue. There was nothing more he could do. It was time to go, capable or not.

They arose early in the morning and shared one last merry meal together, and then walked to the Sealed Temple with heavy hearts. Groose came through on his promise, and provided Link with a new green travel tunic, and a sturdy travel pack, which they packed to the brim with food and supplies. Strapped alongside his pack was the Goddess Sword, although he wrapped it in a leather cover to hid it just in case anyone got any smart ideas when he returned him. On a small hook on his belt hung his new crossbow and quiver, and on his right hip hung a long dagger.

"I have a gift for you," Zelda said as the passed the Goddess Statue which smiled under the sun. They paused for a moment as Zelda open a burlap sack and pulled out a small travel harp akin to the one she always let him borrow. "I had it made for you a while back, but I wanted to give it to you at the right time."

Link could not hold back his smile as he reached out and held the ornate instrument with reverent adoration. Link stepped forward and hugged her, showing her the extent of his gratitude in a way words simply could not elude to. She gave him a long squeeze and laughed as she sniffled, trying to hold back tears.

"I'm glad you like it," she said shakily as she smiled. "Make sure you play your princess that lovely song you practiced so hard to master. I bet she would be glad to hear it."

Link nodded after letting go.

"And I have a gift for you too, Link," his ancestor said, producing his own pack. "It's something I picked up on my adventures. Something I recall you found incredibly interesting on my travels as a younger man." From his bag he pulled out a mechanical device which had a handle to hold onto, and a large claw at the other end. There usually was a second claw to make it a pair.

 _The Clawshot,_ Link beamed. It truly was a fascinating tool. He had seen his ancestor operate it in unison to a second one, which allowed him to fire long chains across the sky, grip onto porous surfaces, and reel him in. A tremendously helpful tool, as long as it was used properly.

"While I am glad to part you with one, I'm afraid I need to hold onto the other. Its and heirloom I wish to pass down to my children, but since I have two, I might as well pass it down to you: my descendant. I'm not sure you will need it, but it certainly helped me in my trials. I hope it will help you too." Holding both his new harp and Clawshot in separate hands, Link hugged his predecessor and sighed with caring relief.

It was going to hurt to leave them. Perhaps more than he initially thought. They were technically family after all, a thing he did not have back home.

He stowed his gifts away in his bag, and then they continued on their way. A call screeched for them above, and Link looked up to find that Ephona was drifting down to them.

"She wants to say goodbye too," his predecessor chuckled.

Ephona landed a few yards ahead of them, cutting off their pathway to the Sealed Temple and cawed defiantly. "Hey girl," her master began. "It's time for him to go. He has friends to get back to, and a world to save. Why don't you say goodbye to him?" There was a mischievous smile on his lips. A smile that Link did not quite understand, but when Ephona hopped forward and lowered her shoulder he realized what her _goodbye_ entailed.

 _Perhaps this one last time,_ he grinned. After he dropped his pack on the ground, he hopped up onto her back, barely having enough time to get situated when Ephona leapt into the air with angelic grace. Link's laughter only came out as a deep chuckle, but he did not care. Up in the open air is where Link felt free. Goddess, he wished that the feeling would last forever. They drifted on the clouds together for the better part of fifteen minutes, studying the morning sun, soaking up every moment of bliss and trainquilty until he felt that it was finally time to get on. However, Ephona seemed intent on keeping him up there as long as possible, because when he began to try to steer off, she ignored him at first. It took a soft jab of his heel to make her finally relent and gently drift back down to the surface.

 _Trust me sweetheart, I'm sad I have to go too._ She nuzzled him with her beak after he dismounted, and rubbed the soft feathers on her neck.

"She's going to miss you. Sometimes I wonder if she can even tell us apart," his ancestor joked before they continued their way, crimson bird in tow.

By the time they reached the main entrance, Link's heart beat faster with anxious anticipation. He felt an encouraging hand on his shoulder. His predecessor smiled reassuringly, then pressed on. The temple was silent as always, their footsteps and breathing being the only source of noise. Link inhaled, then exhaled deeply as before the they climbed the dais and collectively laid their hands on the Master Sword.

 _I'm going to miss you two,_ Link said melancholily.

" _And we will miss you. I pray that maybe someday we will meet again."_

 _Maybe in the afterlife,_ he replied hopefully.

" _Maybe. But it would be nice to see you sooner."_ Link smiled, bittersweet tears threatening to wet his eyes.

 _Fi. Its time,_ he said sadly.

" _Yes Master. Although, I must warn you once more. I cannot guarantee the exact moment you will return to in your own timeline, but I will get you as close as possible. Once you are back, do everything in your power to find a way to restore the Goddess Sword. It has been repaired externally, but it will take more to bring the voice inside back. I wish you all the luck in the world."_

 _Thank you Fi…_

" _You're welcome, Master."_ Link sensed a tone of familiarity in her voice. It was yet another rare moment of humanity. _"I will open the gate now. Please wait."_

A low humming noise began to emanate from the center of the great hall, and the three Hylians spun around to find that there was a pale blue light forming in the center of the room. The light began to transform into uniform blocks of white and blue, eventually forming a large cogged wheel. The began to take a physical form, and before long a bright flash revealed a large gateway that spun like a gear inside a clock.

" _Go. Touch it. It will open to you."_

Link approached slowly, still unsure, but he did as she commanded, and so when he reached the cog, he stretched out his hand and placed it against the cold stone-like metal. There was a audial cue, and then the center of the cog disappeared in another flash of light.

 _Holy…_

On the other side of the Gate of Time, there was nothing but an endless hall of gears, all of which were spinning on different axis's. He looked back to his ancestors, how nodded and waved with somber expressions.

"It's okay," they reassured him. "Please stay safe, Link. Please." His predecessor's voice sounded strained, almost as if he were fighting back tears. Link bowed his head and smiled with a sad heart, waving them goodbye for what would likely be forever.

He took a deep breath and then stepped into the gateway. Nothing happened, but after a quick glance back, he could see his ancestors ushering him on with teary eyed waves goodbye. He waved back one last time. After hiking his pack further up his back, Link bit his tongue and trudged forward, feeling sick with anxiouness.

Darkness consumed him, but he kept walking him until he tripped and seemingly fell onto hard, mossy pavement. He looked around at his surroundings, not recognizing anything, except for one thing. Before him was a towering statue of Hylia. The same one that he saw at the Sealed Grounds, only much, _much_ older and decrepit.

 _It worked… I think…_

There was only one way to be sure, and that was go trudge on, and find an exit to the massive abandoned temple he found himself in which was scattered with inactive guardians. And then it struck him like lightning. He was standing in the Forgotten Temple.

 _It did work…_


	32. A Change of Plans

_Chapter thirty-two, A Change of Plans_

"Princess, wake up!" Zelda bolted up right in her bed hearing the urgency in her hand maidens voice.

"What is it?" she asked with a tinge of fear.

"They found him!" Without a second's delay, Zelda leapt out of her bed, putting her bare feet on the cold floor below before slipping on her night shoes, and cinched the cords of her night robes around her waist. What she looked like did not matter, they had found _him,_ and she was not going to wait a moment longer.

"Where is he?" she gasped as she ran to the door.

"They've taken him to his room, the physician is with him," Gretel said through her short breaths. Apparently, she had ran all the way from her quarters to Zelda's room, despite her advancing age. Zelda barely said thank you by the time she was out her bedroom door.

Her heart raced as she practically ran down the long corridors that was the labyrinth of Hyrule Castle. _He's alive, he's alive, he's alive,_ she kept repeating to herself, still afraid to truly accept it. What if he was gravely wounded? What if he died before she got there? It made her heart seize up, so she gathered her gown in her hands and sprinted in a most unladylike fashion. The Royal Guards she passed all expressed their concern, and offered their help, but she brushed them off, telling them she was fine.

She wished her mother was there to help her, but she traveled south to see the stalemate at Fort Hateno for herself, leaving Zelda to oversee the running of Hyrule Castle with the help of their most trusted advisors. It was a daunting task, but she took it on with as much courage and rapport as she could. Winter had raged on in the last three weeks since Link's disappearance, which halted nearly all troop movement, save the battalions they managed to send from East Post and the Plateau. It finally seemed that the ungodly cold had affected the enemy troops as well, who all but made camp in the Neculda region and seized the bountiful stores of farm land and food.

Hyrule would take a bad hit to their resources since the cut off their largest import of grain, but the Rito in the north came to their aid, and began sending their surplus of Tabantha wheat, and rice via regularly cleared trade routes. It was going to be tough, but the men, women, and children of Hyrule would be fed and clothed.

With the help of her advisors, Zelda began setting up war effort drives, in which the citizens of Castle Town donated their spare time and none perishables to assist those in need, and provide their soldiers with warmth and comfort on the front. She also saw to full time recruitment centers being set up in Market Square, and the west quarter of Castle Town, encouraging those with able bodies to join the Castle Legion. Unlike their highly trained warriors who spent years to hone their skills, the Castle Legion would become a subset of soldiers who would train and learn the basics of warfare in a short three months, and then slowly begin taking the guards positions on the walls and in the city, allowing their more experienced brethren to reinforce more demanding positions.

Already, nearly a hundred men, ranging from the ages of eighteen to forty had joined the Legion and set into their rigorous training which was overseen by the newly promoted Captain Bjorn. Bjorn was an intense individual, but he had earned his title through years of service in the Royal Guard, and demanded respect among his men. Zelda was glad to have his loyalty.

However, none of that mattered at the moment. All that mattered to her was reaching Link as fast as her legs could carry her. While she did not know exactly which room was his, she knew that he lived in the servant's halls, which would serve as her first checkpoint to reach. When she arrived, the castle butler, Old Larin, was already up and wandering the halls with a dim candle.

"Larin," she called, trying to contain her desperate breaths. "Where is he?"

"Are you sure you should be here at this time of night, my lady?" he asked with a curt bow. "He is safely resting in his room. It would not be proper to ̶ "

"I don't care about what's considered proper, Larin. Take me to him."

"Of course, my lady," he replied with a hint of distaste. "I live to serve." With a wiry hand he opened to door that lead into the servant's quarters. They passed a row of endless apartment doors until the came upon a nondescript doorway which was cracked open, allowing the golden light of a lantern to bleed through. Two guards were posted outside, both of which seemed rather unhappy with their current position, but they did not say a word when the Princess approached. They merely bowed and opened the door for her.

She thought her heart would leap out of her chest when she saw Link, her Chosen Champion, stretched out on the bed, tucked under heavy blankets to combat the cold. He was unconscious, and on his forehead beaded profuse amounts of sweat. His eyes darted around under their eyelids, and he shifted uncomfortably in bed. It made her stomach tie itself in knots.

"My lady," the court physician said as he stood to bow.

"How is he?" she whispered, surging forward to be at his side.

"He has a mild fever. I've given him some cooling elixirs to combat the heat, as well as treated the rest of his wounds."

"What other wounds?" she asked with a mortified expression.

"Well. Most of them have healed a little already, there's not much else I can do to help them. But he has lacerations on his back, and several broken bones." There was a long pause in his report, as if he could not decide to share something or not. "…I've all that I can do for now. He needs rest, and time to heal."

"Has he spoken yet? Was he awake at any point?"

"No, my lady, he fell from his horse when he arrived at the south gate. The guards rushed him here as quick as they could."

"When do you think he will wake up?" she asked almost in a whisper. Her voice was shaky, and her eyes felt wet.

"When his fever breaks most likely. I'll see to it that one of my assistants comes to look after him for now."

"No," she said, looking down at her Appointed Knight. "Let them sleep. I will watch over him for now."

"My lady," he scoffed, unbelieving. "Truly, that won't be necessary ̶ "

"Thank you for your concern," she said sternly. "But I will manage just fine." The physician stammered for a moment with a stung ego, trying to form a counter argument, but after a brief pause he sighed and bowed, excusing himself.

"The guards are just outside if you need them," he said as he closed the door behind him, leaving the Princess alone with her Champion. Once the room fell silent, Zelda sat down on the side of the bed, and placed her soft hand on his forehead to feel the heat. It was like déjà vu, although she was determined to not let the situation deteriorate like they had in Kakariko Village, the last time Link was bed ridden, and in her care.

Goddess, he looked awful. There was a horrible bruise on his left eye, and a large scab below his right earlobe. She examined his hands, pained to find that they were crooked in many places, and one of his nails was missing. She wanted to check his back for the lacerations the physician spoke of, but decided against it, as she did not want to disturb him too much. She wanted him to get all the sleep he could, so she sat beside him for the better part of a half hour.

"You're finally home," she whispered as she leaned in and kissed the skin just above his brow. "Goddesses above, what happened to you?" The sight made her want to cry, but she resolved to stay strong for his sake, and so she set about wiping the sweat of his head and arms with a wet towel, content with just being close to him after so many weeks fearing for his life.

He was finally home, and her heart beat with passion. No one would take him from her again. She would defend him with her life.

He was much thinner that she remembered him being. His cheeks were a little hollowed, his arms seemed to have lost some muscle and his chest…

She swallowed the lump in her throat as she pulled back the blanket that covered his bare chest ever so slightly, revealing countless pink scars, and the blemish of a burn mark. She began to draw the blanket down further, fearing what horrible scars would be on his stomach, but she froze when she heard him stir.

"Link?" she gasped. He did not respond at first, but she saw his eyelids open ever so slightly. Zelda placed a hand on his jaw, and smoothed the skin of his cheek with her thumb. He stirred even more… He was waking up! His eyes creaked open again and his mouth began to move, as if he was trying to form words.

"Link," she whispered again. "You're safe. I'm right here." There was the faintest glimmer in his barely opened eyes, and his lip turned upwards. His hands began to move, and she felt his fingers brush her arm. They traced upwards to her shoulder, sending shivers down her spine, and then they came to rest on the crook of her neck. She felt his palm rest against her as she reached up and place her hand on top of his. His touch was electrifying.

"What happened to you?"

Link did not answer. His eyes darted away, and his throat squeezed. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a dull, airless drone.

"Hey, it's okay," she said reassuringly, stroking his cheek. "Take your time. I'm right here."

His eyes opened wider and he began to prop himself up on his elbow. She helped him sit up, tears of joy welling in her eyes. His hand found its way back to her face, as he swept her loose hair over her ear. It made her heartbeat faster, and her chest grew hot. He had never touched her like that before. There was so much meaning and emotion behind it.

She dared to hope…

His other hand came to rest on the small of her back, sending another wave of euphoric shivers up her spine. His flush skin had finally begun to return to normal, the tall tale signs of a fever being broken, and then the unbelievable happened.

He pulled her in, and pressed his lips against hers.

In that instance the world around her faded into unimportance. His lips were soft, and his hands were ―well, to be completely honest with herself, _arousing_. She melted into his body, and they leaned back together, still locked in their intimate embrace. What in the world brought this change over him?

What would her mother say?

Then again, she was gone. Surely it wouldn't hurt to enjoy this one kiss. It was just one after all. Maybe two. Besides, she approved of him, and Zelda knew he would never try to do anything more. That is until his hand on her back began to drift dangerously low. At first, she was certain he did it on accident, as she was frankly unaware of her own hands. It was easily forgiven as she withdrew for a breath, then kissed him in return. However, his other hand ran down her backside, and delved far too low, and so she gently stopped it.

"That's a bit much," she whispered against his ear. "Let's not get too risqué." Her words were met with another strong kiss which grew to be much more passionate than the others. A kiss that made her want to let him hold her like that, but she reminded herself of her responsibilities as a proper lady. And then his hands griped the back of her thighs, and began to pull her over him so that she would straddle him. She stoutly started to pull away. "That's too far," she declared sternly, but quiet enough to not alert the guards. "Don't push your luck mister."

He ignored her, and began to run his hands all over her, pulling her into his bed. She struggled silently, terrified to make a noise loud enough that the guards would hear. She would get him under control without their help, somehow. Surely his long-withheld passion was too much to handle in his weak state of mind. Surely, he would come to his senses eventually. She could forgive him for his moment of transgression. Besides, she was guilty of lustful desire too. Perhaps not to that extent, but still…

And then he rolled over her, and she knew she was in trouble. She pressed against his chest with all her might sneering through her teeth. "Link, stop this at once." He ignored her again, and ran his hand up her gown like a greedy animal.

Enough was enough! She opened her mouth to cry for the guards, but his hand clasped over her mouth. She was too paralyzed with shock to believe what was really happening. And then his hand went places they never should unless they were wed, which finally broke her from her paralysis and she wrenched her mouth away from his hand and cried for help.

Link was just beginning to press his weight against her when the guards burst in, and ripped him off. He fell back to the floor with a loud thump, and the guards came to close around him, placing their rough hands around his arms when suddenly one of them grunted and fell back.

There was blood… Goddess, there was a hole under his jaw. The second guard drew out his sword and prepared to bring it down on Link, but he closed the gap to quick and drove the hidden knife he pulled from his pocket into the guard's neck with lethal precision.

Zelda was at a loss of all voice, and all ability to move. She could not believe what she had just watched. She sat on the bed, completely petrified, and unable to even force a scream. Link then turned to face her, and her heart beat skipped. His eyes were not like she fondly remembered. They were the eyes of a mad man. Link had gone completely insane! He surged forward to her, knife in hand, but her primal instincts kicked in, and she formed a barrier of golden light around her. His knife pinged helplessly against it.

 _Why!? WHY?_ How could he do such a thing? What monster possessed him!?

His dagger struck her barrier once again, and then he dropped it, glared at her one last time before bolting out the door. She could not even process it. He tried to kill her… Link, the one man sworn to protect her and stay by her side, tried to kill her.

It couldn't be. It was impossible… It had to be a nightmare…

"P-Princess…" a desperate voice begged. It was the first guard that had fallen. His hand was over the hole under his jaw, and he began to cough up blood. "A-lert the others…" Instinct took over and she grabbed the rag from earlier and pressed it against his wound. His skin was going pale, and his eyes began to drift into unconsciousness.

"Just stay with me," she commanded between her shouts for help. "You'll be fine, I promise." Before long, Old Larin ran into the room as fast as his aching feet would allow, and upon entering he gave an exasperated yelp. "Larin," she shouted. "Go get the physician, and warn the Royal Guard. Don't let Link escape."

"Y-yes, my lady!"

"And for the love of the goddesses, make sure they don't hurt him. There's something not right in his mind. He's not himself!" Larin hesitated for a moment, as if in shock until she shouted at him to go.

"Goddesses, why?" she whispered to the heavens as she worked to stop the soldiers bleeding. There came no reply.

All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and cry. After hurting for so long to find him, now that Link was back, things only got worse. She would make him answer for his actions. She would find out what made him go raving mad. He would have never done such a thing in his right mind.

Right…?

She did not have time to answer that, as a number of servants poured into the room with groggy eyes… Until they saw the blood. Adrenaline had kicked in, snapping them out of their tiredness, and they surged forward to help the fallen knight who was barely alive, sending word to the court physician, and moving him to the bed. At the pleadings of the servants, Zelda traded out spots with a young woman, who pressed the rag against the knight's wound, reassuring him that they would do everything they could to help him.

She fought to hold back her dejected tears. There was work to do. Link was on the run in the castle, and he had to be stopped before he hurt someone else.

When word had gotten out, the alarm bells began to ring loudly, stirring everyone from their sleep, and the Royal Guards began a rigorous search of every corner, every room, and every hiding place in the castle. However, after two hours of looking, no one found a trace of where the delusional hero had gone. He had simply vanished out of thin air. Zelda demanded for a second wave of searching, but that too ended up empty handed, and Zelda was too exhausted and brokenhearted to continue.

She collapsed into her bed face first, crying into her sheets. She slept with a knife under her pillow that night, even though she knew she would never have the strength to use it against him, but with four guards right outside her door, and Gretel keeping watch over her, she eventually drifted into a howling sleep.

Never in a million years did she think she would fear an attack from the man she loved… It made her chest ache with pain. How could Link be a murderer? He would never hurt anyone unless they were at war, and yet not even she could deny what she saw.

"I will see that all our settlements are warned," one of her chief advisors declared the morning after during a state-of-emergency meeting. "We will find him, and he will answer for his crime, my lady."

"Please, Master Rarnu, understand that there was something wrong with him. Make sure that if he is found, he is brought back here. Unharmed." Master Rarnu sighed angrily, and clasped his hands on the table, furrowing his long white eyebrows.

"My lady, he murdered one of his own, attempted to murder another, and most of all he tried to take advantage of you! This is a heinous crime! I will not stand ̶ "

"You will follow my orders!" she barked, cutting his protest off. "I will personally see to it that he is explained, and I will offer a reward to any who can bring him back unharmed." Rarnu brooded for a moment, looking to the other advisors who were not as outspoken as he was, searching for their support.

"Very well, my lady," he finally sighed. "But I must warn you, our kingdom is a kingdom of laws. We are a Constitutional Monarchy. When he is on trial and found guilty of murder, I cannot guarantee his safety. Not even the Queen is above the law."

"Then you guarantee the victory of our enemy!" Zelda shouted, standing from her chair. The last time she had yelled at someone like that, it was an out of turn maid who spoke too much of her own mind, and spread vitriol rumors. She was glad to find that her outburst silenced the audacious advisor. "He has been chosen by the Master Sword. We cannot hope to defeat Ganon and his forces without him."

"So you deny his actions? My lady, if our guards had not interfered he would have forced himself on you. Can you truly attest to his innocence?" Rarnu asked, observably ostensibly reserved but still pointed. Zelda sighed with frustration as she slumped back down into her chair.

"No," she finally admitted. "I cannot. But there is more to this than meets the eye," she said smartly, preparing to turn the table on the stickler of a know-it-all advisor. "The law requires that before a man can be sentenced a punishment for a crime, ample investigation must be done. As I said, there is more to this than meets the eye. Something doesn't add up." The assembly nodded collectively with ponderous and strained eyes.

"We will send word to our outposts, my lady," Master Ariella coughed up. "He will be brought back to the castle as you say. His fate will be decided from there."

"Remember, ladies and gentlemen," Zelda warned. "I want him back unharmed. See to it that our officers understand that."

The assembly stood from their chairs and bowed, taking their leave with quite whispers, until at last Zelda sat in the meeting hall alone, save the two guards that stood nearby. Zelda leaned back into her chair unceremoniously and rubbed her tired eyes with her hands.

 _Why Link? Why would you kiss me like that, and then try to kill me? What happened to you?_

If his scars were any indicator, something unimaginable must have transpired in the time he had been gone, but that did not explain how his wounds healed so quickly. How could injuries like that turn to scars in a mere three weeks? The more she thought about it, the more it made her stomach sick, and her heart hurt.

She could not stop thinking about the way his lips felt against hers… And yet, the moment disintegrated into ash when he tried to force himself on her. She thought it would be hard to fight the rumors that spread about him before, but now that he was charged with murder, treason, attempt at assassination, and attempt at rape, she knew there was little she could do to preserve his name and standing.

The people would tear him apart if they got their hands on him… Would the soldiers that would eventually find him act any better?

Worse than that, could she ever come to trust him again? Surely, he was not of his right mind, but how would she know? All she could do was pray that he would stay safe, and that the mystery that surrounded her would be laid to rest, until he would return to her in whole of heart and mind. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, but she did not wipe them away, nor did she make a sound. She simply sat in her chair and despaired.

 _What will mother do?_

* * *

The Forgotten Temple was a colossal structure to say the least. Its ceilings were far beyond scope of any he had seen before. Not even the Inner Sanctum of Hyrule Castle could match the height. Just before the ancient statue of the goddess sat an inactive Sheikah shrine, and scattered along the walls were matching guardians who were inactive and dilapidated. After gathering his bearings Link began to walk away, following the only path that led to an opening. The temple was dark, save the beams of light that shone through holes in the ceiling above, providing him with just enough eyesight to traverse the ruins.

As he walked on he began to realize how warm it was. His ancestors had given him a thick travel cloak which had an amassing hood, and accompanying mask in case he needed to conceal his identity for any reason. In a way, it reminded him of the armor Sheikah Shadow Warriors wore, which concealed the whole face except for the eyes. However, it was a bit uncomfortable for the weather, so before he trudged on he removed it and packed it away in his bag.

 _Well it's certainly not winter anymore._

Unfortunately, it seemed that Fi's worries had come true. He had not returned to the exact moment he left, but an unknown allotted time afterwards. If the warmth was any indicator, he guessed that it was late spring, or early summer.

 _I hope I'm not too late…_

He tried to not think about it, and instead focused his attention on the trail ahead of him. It was a good thing he did so, because after a few steps he slid to a stop just before a giant hole in the floor which opened up to a ten-foot drop.

A none lethal fall, but it could certainly injury him if he was not paying attention. He searched for an easy way over, but found that the ravine ran from one wall to the other. The walls were rough enough that he could climb them, but given his weak fingers, it was a task he knew would likely end in failure.

 _The Clawshot,_ he thought with a grin.

He dropped his bag from his shoulders and opened up the main compartment, pushing past his food supplies until he removed his ancestors Clawshot from the bottom. In a way, it went on much like and armor gauntlet, except that there was a handle to hold onto, as well as a trigger that could be flipped two directions.

If his memory ―or more accurately, his ancestor's memory― held true, then all he needed to do was buckle the leather straps around his wrist, forearm, and elbow, take aim, pull the trigger, and then let the rest of the mechanics do their work.

It took a little fiddling to get the straps tight enough so that his body weight would rely on his forearm instead of his fingers, but after a few minutes he felt confident enough to give the machine a whirl. He searched the ceiling above for something to grip onto, eventually finding a promising candidate in a large tree root that broke through the stone above.

With a nervous breath, Link took aim and pulled the trigger. The Clawshot burst into action with a loud hydraulic hiss, and the pincers shot forth, towing a long steel chain behind it. His aim was off on his first attempt, so he released the trigger to reel it back in, and then aimed a little higher. His second attempt found luck as he felt the gears engaged, signaling that the claw was locked in and ready to support his weight. With a squeeze of the hand, the chain began to draw him up and off of the ground, allowing him swing across, then lower himself to safety on the other side. A sense of accomplishment washed over him when he made it across.

 _I like this thing._

He offered a thankful prayer to his ancestor for the gift, then gather himself and pressed on. As he proceeded he passed more inactive Guardians, and ran into more obstacles to climb. As he had done before, Link used his Clawshot to pull himself of, and reach the ledges he need to cross over. It was back breaking work holding his full weight by nothing but one arm for extended periods on time, but he was just grateful that he was that mobile. A quarter of an hour must have passed by the time he finally emerged through a collapsing exit and peered up to the blue sky above.

He drew in a deep breath of air, reveling in its familiarity.

If his schooling during basic training was anything to go by, Tanagar Canyon, the gorge that housed the Forgotten Temple, stretched all the way to the West Rift, and connected to the Gerudo Highlands to the south, and the Tabantha Frontier to the north.

The maps of Hyrule had been so deeply burned into Link's mind, as he had to know every road and pathway between the provinces that surrounded his kingdom since he was the Princess' Appointed Knight, and had to oversee her safe travels. It was knowledge that he was glad he had now that directional instinct was all he had to go by.

 _West I go,_ he thought, hiking up his travel pack further up his back.

Link tried using his Clawshot to scale the walls of the canyon, or to climb on top of the Forgotten Temple, but after several failed attempts to get a strong enough grip on the smooth stone, he settled on his original course, and put the machine back into his bag.

On foot, Link estimated it would take him two days of walking to reach the West Rift. From there he would make a loop northbound, until he was facing east, and cut between Piper Ridge, and the Rayne Highlands. That particular path would lead him to the Tabantha Great Bridge, which would offer him a relatively straight and simple path all the way back home to Hyrule Castle. Link had enough dried food for five days, which he was certain would last him long enough to either scavenge or hunt his next meal, or reach a stable where he could buy supplies and a bed with the rupees his ancestors packed for him.

It was not much, but he was grateful beyond words for their overflowing generosity. If only he could repay them somehow…

The walking was tough, as the sharp stones underfoot often turned up and made him stumble, but he kept a steady pace for the whole morning and broke for lunch. At least Fi had sent him back to early in the morning so that he could get a full day of travel in before he had to set up camp for the night.

After a quick lunch resting against the canyon wall in the shade, Link set back onto his path. There was little to distract him from his thoughts, as there was only sandy rock below him, and to both sides, and only an empty blue sky above. He had not even been blessed with clouds. He tried to keep his head clear and unburdened, but that proved to be a difficult task given the weight of his responsibilities ahead.

What would he do when he saw her? Would she be angry with him? Happy? It did not matter, he guessed. He had a job to do, regardless of how she thought of him.

At best, Link estimated that he had been gone for at least six months in the current timeline, but he was sure he would find out for certain whenever he returned to the castle. What he would do after that, he was unsure. The first step was to restore the Master Sword, which, given Fi's not so helpful advice, would be a blind-firing plan at best.

 _Perhaps the Library will have something useful…_

A cracking noise stirred him from his thoughts and he took a low defensive position, scanning the area around him like a feline predator. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He could sense something watching him. Without making a sound, Link unhooked the crossbow on his belt and placed the foothold on the ground, pressing the end of his toes to the ground, and pulling back the string slowly, and silently. He continued to search the area around him, looking for any signs of movement.

The moment the string of his crossbow clicked into place, a burst of sand shot skyward, and out flew a camouflaged Lizalfos. Before Link even had time to react, the lizard creature leapt onto his chest and prepared to claw his throat out, but he reached to his belt and pulled out his long dagger, and drove it into the monster's side.

It howled in a gurgling screech before jumping back, and prepared itself for another advance. Quick as lightning, Link grabbed the crossbow at his side, knocked a bolt from his quiver, and took aim. The monster was just about to clamp down on his foot with its jaw whenever he fired a bolt straight into its skull.

The Lizalfos gave one last whimpering screech before collapsing to the ground and ceased its sporadic movement. Link laid his head back onto the hard stone beneath him and inhaled deeply, slowing the adrenaline-fueled pumping of his heart. One Lizalfos nearly killed him. How in the world was he supposed to battle anything smarter, or larger than that?

Ganondorf would make quick work of him.

Still, duty called, and so he gathered his composure, and sat up, retrieving both his bolt and dagger from the Lizalfos' dead body. Link prepared to set out again, but then he halted in his tracks. Lizalfos claws made for a fair-trading price, as they could be used to make powerful elixirs, and since he was in short supply of money, he decided to de-claw the wretched beast, and take them with him to sell at a later time.

Surely someone would want them.

With a revitalized vigilance, Link set out on his path and walked until the sun dipped under the horizon. There was no fire wood in the canyon, and so as the late night cold set in, Link bundled up under his cloak, and tucked himself in the folds of his wool blanket. Another gift from the Academy at Skyloft, and another prayer of thanks.

He made sure there was already a bolt knocked in his crossbow, ready to go at a moment's notice incase another Lizalfos decided to sneak up on him. Luckily, no more disturbances came in the dark, and so after thoughtfully holding his mother's necklace in his hand between practicing songs on his harp, he drifted into sleep with only the occasional nightmare, until the morning sun warmed his eyes. It looked like he would be blessed with mild weather again, which, given his luck, was a miracle.

With sore legs, Link packed his things and ate a meager breakfast of dried fruit, jerky, and a plentiful ration of water from his waterskin. A soft breeze blew through the natural wind tunnel of a canyon, which helped cool his body, preventing him from sweating too much, and so he pushed himself a little harder on the second day.

It was roughly mid noon by the time Link spotted the Tabantha Great Bridge a hundred feet above. From there, his walk became a little more demanding, as the pathway began to slope upwards, forming a natural rampway out of the canyon.

 _With any luck,_ he thought. _I will be crossing the bridge by nightfall._

With that goal in mind, Link pressed on even faster than before, in spite of the sore protest of his legs. However, he was accustomed to pushing himself beyond muscle fatigue. He did not run five miles every morning during training for nothing. Just for grins, Link tried using his Clawshot to latch onto the bridge above, but the chain unfortunately fell far too short to even be within the realm of possibility.

 _Worth a shot,_ he grunted.

Rocks, dirt, sand, there really was not much to look at ahead until the endless walls of the canyon final opened and Link sighed with relief as he gazed upon the West Rift. In its own respects, the land of Hyrule was its own continent, as along its northern and western borders, there was an impassable void that spanned nearly a mile wide, and separated the land from its larger cousin, however, technically still connected deep below, but substantial enough to note a significant separation. It was land that no explorer had stepped foot on and made it back to tell the tale.

Link recalled a eulogy of brave a Rito explorer who resolved to fly over the Rifts, but never returned. Some said that he died at the hands of wild beasts in the unexplored world, others said that he fell from the sky before even making it across the gusty void, but Link, as a young boy, liked to believe that he did make it across and saw how beautiful the outside world was, so he decided to make his home there in the new land, and never return. Link scavenged his mind for the poetic verses.

 _So goes the story of the Rito, Arilden, of white feather fair,  
_ _whose strong wings beat with the heart of the land, and cadence of the air.  
_ _Having conquered new heights, battled beasts, and creatures o' temperamental,  
_ _did the brave young explorer desire to achieve something monumental._

' _Oh Arilden,' the people did cheer, 'lead us to new lands, and bring us good fortune.'  
_ _And so, with the will of his people, did the brave young Rito set out on the autumn winds,  
_ _A gleam in his eye, heart set of lands of the untouched and foreign whims._

 _Cold was the day of Arilden's departure,  
_ _but his resolve was made of something harder.  
_ _Over the West Rift he flew,  
_ _the wind throwing him askew,  
_ _but with determination, Arilden pressed on,  
_ _and disappeared on the warm morning dawn._

 _Where he dwelled thereafter, none could say,  
_ _for years did pass, without his return.  
_ _Of the riches the Rito did yearn,  
_ _not a dropped came to them, for none of it they had earned._

 _And thus goes the tale of Arilden the brave,  
_ _Of whose tomb is nothing but an empty grave._

There was more to it, Link remarked, but he could not remember exactly what. He had once had a story teller sing it to him in Market Square as an enthralled young boy, but now, that life seemed so distant and foreign to him, that he found it hard to recall things that he once held close in memory. The words in his mind did not quite line up, and the rhyming was a bit off, but at the end of it all, it was close enough for his own enjoyment.

The mistakes did not matter, he supposed. It's not like he was going to have the chance to share it with anyone else any time soon, if ever.

As he had planned, as soon as he was able, Link began climbing northwards, until he leveled out onto an open field of tan rock. Now that it was less taxing to walk, Link redoubled his pace and struck out onto the open field, feeling rather exposed and vulnerable. He kept a strict eye out for more camouflaged Lizalfos, as well as sparing the occasional glance to the sky to look out for any signs of the corrupted goddesses.

Hopefully, Ganondorf had no way of knowing where he was now that his little _creature_ had been exorcised from his body. However, that was a false sense of security he could not allow himself to slip into. He needed to get back to Hyrule Castle as fast as he could, where at least Zelda could keep him safe.

She did fend off all three specters with ease last time, after all.

Surely that would be the answer to Link's problems. Maybe her powers could help him restore the Master Sword, so that they could fight back Ganondorf, and seal away Demise before he regained his full strength. What else could there be? She was the key, and it was his duty to support her, and ensure her success. That meant that he needed to hold up his role as the Chosen One.

 _Somehow…_

Always keeping the Rayne Highlands to his right, Link tracked around the cliffside until he turned east, and began to climb up the steep slope. It was a daunting task, and at many points he resorted to using both his hands and feet to climb, but by the time he reached the top with heavy breathes he spotted the a lone deactivated Sheikah tower atop Nero Hill, and just left of that, a few miles away, the faint form of a mechanical beast.

 _Vah Medoh._

It was a tremendous sight to see that majestic Divine Beast perched on its branch of stone in the northwestern sky. Link was instantly reminded of Ephona, and his heart was overcome with the desire to drift on the currents of wind one last time. If only Loftwings still existed.

Unfortunately, he would not have to pleasure of visiting Rito Village that day, so he turned his gaze away, and blazed down the trail ahead of him at a brisk pace. He would have jogged if it were not for the slight nagging in his leg where the small shard of glassy stone still sat under the scared surface.

He would see about having MiarindÍl remove it, if she was finally awake… And possibly see about fixing _other_ things, but it was unlikely, so he did not get his hopes up in the slightest.

The sky began to shift into colors of gorgeous yellow and pinks as the evening sun sank lower to the horizon, and as he had hoped, he eventually came upon the west bank of the Tebantha Great Bridge. He passed a Goron trader on his way across, who offered him a smile that was so common among their people, and asked him if he wanted to trade anything of value.

Horbin, was his name, as he so fondly blasted, but he seemed rather discouraged when Link could not relay his own name to him, on account of his muteness. Still, after presenting the Goron with the Lizalfos claws he collected the day before, they struck a bargain of forty rupees for two sets of claws.

"Fair travels, little Hylian," Horbin boomed, clapping his back in the traditional way of the Gorons. Link grimaced a little, but forced a smile and waved his goodbye. A friendly stranger was a rare gift to find out in the wilds, so he admittedly felt a little down as they went their separate ways.

It was getting dark by the time he passed the halfway mark of the bridge, and the clouds that formed above boded for a possible spring rain, so Link set into a light jog, hoping to reach the Tabantha Stables just on the far side. Luck was on his side it seemed, as it only began to drizzle by the time he came before the stable's owner.

"What can I do you for?" the bright-eyed man asked, curling his thin mustache with a polite smile. Link touched his fingers to his lips, motioning that he could not speak, and then pointed to an open bed in the far corner of the large tent, rupees in hand.

"Oh. Forgive, I did not know you were mute. Well, it'll be thirty rupees for a bed, or forty for an extra soft bed," he added with an enticing voice. Economically, Link placed down the thirty rupees on the counter and entered the tent, taking the first bed on the right.

It felt good to sit down on a soft mattress after his long walk, so he dropped his travel pack, crossbow, and quiver down on the floor beside him and began to remove his boots. A few pebbles fell from them, and he sighed, finally finding the cause of the discomfort on his feet all that afternoon.

Link fell back into his bed, finally comfortable and inhaled easily. His stomach began to speak, telling him that it was time for dinner, and so he scavenged his pack for some tough jerky, and chewed on it absentmindedly, barely staying awake.

"Ah, it's good to see you back, Kass," Link heard the stable owner say. "I wondered when you'd fly by."

"Yes," the Rito laughed. "Well there's a nasty storm brewing in the north, so it looks like I won't be making it back home tonight. I'll take the usual. Bed and breakfast."

 _Kass…_ where had he heard that name before… _Kass. The Bard. The Rito Bard. He was good friends with the King, wasn't he?_ Link sat up in his bed, surprised to find that he recognized the colorfully feathered Rito, who strung a large accordion over his back. He was at the King's funeral.

 _Will he recognize me?_ he wondered. Link waited to find out. He had never actually formally met him, as he was always on duty, but he seemed like a kind soul, and any friend of the late King must truly be a reverential individual. He was walking Link's way, wet instrument in tow, so Link met his eyes. As Kass passed, he offered a friendly salute and smile, but pressed on like any stranger would.

 _I guess that answers that…_

Link considered going to him and introduce himself, through writing of course, and see what news he could give him, but just as he was about to stand, a small band of Hylian soldiers strode into the tent, having just tied off their horses. It was a small goods convoy, and by the look of their wagons, they were pulling grain, and quite a bit of it too. Apparently, the soldiers also knew Kass, as they all reveled in a cheer when they spotted him.

"Well look who's here boys," a brown-haired soldier beamed. "Our favorite traveling bard. Do you have any new songs to sing for us?"

"Ah," Kass aired easily. "Not since last time. But I would be more than happy to sing any song you've heard before, for the right price of course."

"Sing us something about a beautiful woman," one soldier suggested as they gathered around on wooden stools with rations in hand.

"No," protested another. "Sing something about the glories of war!" The younger members of the groups all 'aye'd' in agreement. Majority rules, Link surmised, tucking his legs up onto his bed, content with listening from a distance.

"Well, what kind of war song?" Kass asked as he dried his accordion with a cotton rag.

"Sing about the Akkala Citadel before it fell. The one about the Scorned Knight."

 _Oh for the love of the goddesses!_ Link fumed. _Not even one moment of peace from that nightmare?_ _And what does he mean by 'before it fell?'_

"I must admit," Kass chimed in. "I rather think that song is perhaps a little exaggerated. I know the Queen personally, and she bore no ill will against that knight. He was only following orders."

 _Thank you!_ Link vented in his mind. At least Kass was on his side, even if they had never spoken to each other before.

"Yeah? And what about now?" the brown-haired soldier sneered. "He's on the run from the law. There's a bounty out for his return to the Castle to await trial. After what he did, I would wring his neck until his eyes popped out if I got my hands on him, with or without a reward!"

 _What the fuck..._ Given the tenseness in the soldier's face, Link imagined he meant it, and looking to the group, he saw that their angry scowls boded that same desire. He knew he was disliked before, but what _crime_ could he have possibly committed that warranted such potent threats? Why in the world would there be a bounty out for his arrest? Did they think he abandoned his post? Did the crown think he was a deserter?

Did Zelda think he left her out of his own volition?

Anger was the first emotion he wanted to cling to, but seeing that he was in a dangerous predicament, Link silently pulled his hood over his head, and began to slip his boots back on. He was not about to willing be recognized and arrested by his own shield-brothers.

"…Very well, give me a minute to warm up…" he heard Kass say reluctantly, but he did not have time to pay attention. He needed to get out of there fast, before anyone recognized him. With his crossbow back on his hip, he slung his travel pack over his shoulder and slipped away towards the door, keeping his face hidden beneath his hood. To ensure that no one had seen him slip away, Link glanced back to the group of soldiers all crowded in a circle, enjoying their food, drink, and song. He sighed with relief. No one had seen him.

And then he ran into something, or someone, and nearly stumbled to the ground.

"Oh!" a young voice said. "Sorry sir, I didn't see you ̶ "

Link froze. The young man was wearing a soldier's uniform. Link looked away and pulled his hood down further, and began to brush past, but the soldier stopped him with a strong arm. "Wait," he commanded, drawing the attention of the other soldiers, who all stood from their chairs, interrupting their merriment.

"Remove your hood."

 _Shit._

Instinct kicked in, and Link threw his shoulder into the young soldier, knocking him over, and bolted out the entryway. He could hear the scattering of the soldiers snapping into action to hunt him down. He saw a horse to his left, and turned on his heel, intent of stealing it to escape, but without warning, he tripped face first into the mud. The soldier he had pushed over had grabbed onto his ankle.

"Oi, you shit!" one soldier shouted as he ran over and grabbed Link by the shoulder and arm. Link kicked his leg out, trying to knock him over, but the Soldier forced him back down, pressing his elbow against Link's back, and putting his arm in a armbar. Before he could retaliate, a second and third soldier restrained him, and the pulled him from the mud, ripping his hood back.

"Holy shit," the brown-haired soldier exclaimed. "Steven, go get the flier." Link heard one of the soldiers behind him sprint off, then return with something in his hand. He dutifully gave it to the brown-haired soldier who bore the lanyard of a staff-sergeant, making him the ranking soldier in the gangly group of conveyers, although there was a third cord of blue that he did not recognize the significance of, as it was outside of the traditional military dress code. Perhaps it was a specialist's mark. The staff-sergeant unfurled the loose flier in his hands, and studied it, glancing at Link often. A wicked smile stretched across his lips as he knelt down, presenting the flier Link.

"Well, how do you do, Master Link?" Link glanced at the flier. It was a sketch of him, brow-scar and all, although his hair was drawn long like it used to be. It was labeled with instructions to see that he was returned to the Castle unharmed. "Got a haircut while you were out, huh?" the staff-sergeant scoffed. "What's wrong? Lost your voice?" he jeered.

Link only glared at him.

"Master Link," he began formally. "I hereby detain you on order of the Crown. You will be returned to the Castle immediately, where you will face trial for murder in the second-degree, attempt at another murder, attempt at assassination, attempt at rape, and evasion of justice."

 _WHAT!?_ Link tried to scream it, but all that came out was a raspy grunt.

"Tie him up, and remove any and all weapons. We don't need this slippery bastard escaping again." The soldiers began to drag him on his feet, and he tried to break free, but he was completely surrounded. There was no chance at escape then. He would have to try at a more opportune time.

"Oh," the staff-sergeant added, almost as an afterthought. "And I could be convinced to look the other way, in case you fellows wanted to… _give him a little payback_. he did murder one of our own after all. Just stay clear of the face. The flier says unharmed after all, but who would notice anything below the neck line."

The men around him grinned devilishly. Link knew all too well what was about to come... However, he did not expect them to go as far as using batons. By the time they were done, Link slumped down on the tree stump that was several hundreds of yards away from the stables, where no one would hear him, body bruised and welting.

It was nothing close to Ganondorf's torture, but it still hurt like hell.

Link would remember their faces, and see to it that they would receive their punishment for abuse of authority whenever he made it out. Beating a man was one thing, but beating a bound and defenseless man was a low and dishonorable blow. Especially when that man was innocent.

There was only one explanation for the charges pressed against him… It was Ganondorf, and his damned darkling. No doubt he paraded around in likeness to him. Link shuddered at the thought. He prayed beyond prayers that the monster did try to rape…

 _I will give that bastard an excruciating death…_

The anger inside him swirled like a typhoon on the southern shore during the rainy season. His nostrils flared, and his veins pulsated with thick, hot blood. That smug reflection of his could take everything from him, torture him, decimate him, but the thought of that vile creature even touching a sing hair on her… He thought he could break the ropes that bound his wrists out of pure, unmatched rage.

 _You better hide you son-of-a-bitch,_ he swore to the heavens, air seething in and out of his teeth. _I will hunt you down and cut your own manhood off myself, and force feed it to you!_

He felt a boot kick his side.

"I said get up! We're setting out in the morning. You can sleep in the pig's pen for all I care." Link spat on the soldier's boot for good measure, which warranted him a stinging fist on the cheekbone.

"Hey! He said no hitting the face!"

"The little shit deserved it!" the soldier protested, pulling Link from his resting spot, and dragged him back to the stables. Link took the opportunity to scout out where his belongings had been placed. His eyes scanned the parked convoy carriages, and low and behold, his travel pack, dagger, Goddess Sword, crossbow, and bolts and all were haphazardly placed on the foremost bench.

Where these soldiers even remotely trained? That was a rookie mistake, and he knew it. Perhaps escaping would be easier than he thought. Only nighttime would tell.

As the soldier that escorted him back to the stables _suggested,_ Link was left to sleep in the lean-to pen, although it was a goat's pen, and not pigs. Per usual protocol, a watch was assigned to look over Link, which consisted of one measly soldier, who, judging by his nervous fidgeting, was a very new soldier indeed. He could use that to his advantage for sure.

 _The idiots,_ Link scoffed. They were disorganized and inexperienced. No wonder they had been put on convoy duty. It stung his pride a little. Had he really been so incapable himself that he came to be their prisoner.

It did not matter anymore, however. His first and foremost objective was to escape, and then hunt down his darkling. Since he was considered and 'enemy to the crown,' as the brown-haired soldier took to calling him, Link concluded that there was no point in returning to the Castle until he had undeniable proof of his innocence. He would bring the dead body of his dark reflection to the Castle gate, and demand restitution.

He would avenge, and defend Zelda's honor.

It was midnight by the time Link began to shift around in his 'prison cell.' All night he had been slowly sawing away at his bindings with a particularly sharp rock he found buried in the mud, and now at last his hands were free, but he did not move them immediately. No, he waited until his guard began to look drowsy from the excessive alcohol he foolishly drank.

Choking him out had been far too easy.

 _Idiot,_ he scoffed inwardly, silently placing him on the ground. Inside the tent, Link could hear the other soldiers snoring loudly, which allowed him to slip past the entryway completely unheard and unseen. The clouds above concealed him in complete darkness, which made it hard to find his belongings, but after some foraging, he eventually found his travel pack and weapons, quickly feeling around inside to ensure nothing was removed. He sighed with relief. Nothing seemed to be missing.

 _It's just asinine,_ he scoffed again as he darted across the road, and bled into the darkness, hood and masked donned. They had to be the most idiotic lot of soldiers he had ever seen. It seems for once his luck was holding out, as any competent band of soldiers would have surely been successful in detaining him for more than a few hours. He just so happened to be in the company of fools and drunks.

Tracking down his darkling would be difficult, but Link was a patient, and very skilled individual. With secrecy on his side, his first step would be to gather rumors and gossip in the little villages and inns that scattered Hyrule, and hopefully that would allow him to hone in on the conniving demon.

At the very least, one thing he could guarantee is that he would attempt to attack the Princess in some form or another. If assassination was his goal, then Link would keep a vigilant eye and ear. Knowing the enemy's intentions was a powerful tool, and he had every intention of using that leverage.

 _Oh, I will find you…_ he swore again, into the warmth of his mask. _And you won't enjoy it when I do._


	33. The Hunt

**Authors note:** Please excuse any typos. Its 4am right now, because I had to get this chapter out while I had the chance. I will come back and correct issues at a later time. Until then, please enjoy!

 **-Written in Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-three, The Hunt_

"What do you mean he just 'disappeared?' He was in your custody. How could an entire battalion of soldiers let one man slip away in the night?" Zelda's fists were curled so tightly that her knuckles began to turn deathly white.

"I'm sorry, Princess Regent," the brown-haired staff-sergeant murmured on his knee, looking like a child that had just been chastised. "He silently attacked his guard, and choked him unconscious, and slipped away while we slept."

"You assigned _him_ one, single guard?" she groaned exasperatedly. "Please remind be to inform Captain Bjorn to teach your lot to follow standard protocol when transporting a _very_ dangerous prisoner."

 _Stupid Legionaries,_ Zelda scoffed inwardly. _Captain Bjorn will hear about this. Perhaps three months is too short to properly train soldiers…_ Absentmindedly, Zelda began to rub her thumb over the pommel of her short sword, which she took to carrying with her at every moment of the day.

They were at war, and her Appointed Knight had gone rogue. She had to be ready for anything. Coyness, other fragilities, and dresses were things of the past, for the time being. With her mother, the Queen, locked in hellish conflict to the south and east, and her own rise to power as the Princess Regent of Hyrule Castle, Zelda had become increasingly fierce, and unfortunately short fused.

She wondered how in the world her mother seemed to stay so cool and collected when she was surrounded by infuriating individuals.

"Of course, Princess Regent," the soldier whimpered. "I-I mean, yes. It was foolish to allow such laxness into our operations. It will never happen again, I swear it."

"And I will see to it that you uphold that swear," she sneered. "Report back to Captain Bjorn immediately. There are still convoys that Castle Town desperately needs transported here."

"Yes, Princess Regent," the soldier said as he bowed, utterly humiliated by his verbal addressing.

 _That will teach him a hard lesson,_ Zelda thought sourly.

This was the closest they had been to bringing Link back to Hyrule Castle ever since he tried to assassinate her nearly six months earlier, but it failed miserably, all because of the incompetence of the damned Convoy Legionaries. Any traditionally trained battalion of Hylian knights would have never allowed such a drastic mistake to happen, even if the prisoner in question was Link.

Link may have been raving mad, but he was smart. Too smart. Ganon must have truly warped his mind if his sense of duty meant almost nothing to him now.

Whispers often came to her of sightings of the elusive rogue knight. One month he would be spotted in Lanayru, the next she would receiver word that a man of similar features had been seen in Gerudo, stirring up trouble. He was constantly on the move, which made it impossible to effectively track him down. However, the incident at the Tabantha Stable was unusually unique. It seemed as if it were his first mistake, or slip up.

According to the soldier's reports, Link did a poor job of hiding himself that day, almost as if he had forgotten he was being hunted down. And yet, just as easily as the time before, Link vanished without a trace, leaving them to carry through the war alone.

Zelda paced the empty corridors that led to the antechamber of the Meeting Hall, where Lord Aron had agreed to meet her to discuss the advancing forces from the north east along with Commander Nell and Captain Morint, both officers from the Citadel. The fall of the Citadel had been a terrible blow to the young lord, having shored up their defenses for weeks on end, only to be blown away by Ganon's forces with the help of the specters in a single night, who left as soon as the work was done. There was a pain in the young lord's eyes that spoke volumes. He had seen death and true suffering. Lord Aron had become much more serious, and admittedly frank as of late, which was a change they Zelda began to appreciate. She never cared for the superfluities and pompous grandeur of the way he used to act and speak, but this new humbleness and sincerity almost reminded her of Link before he went insane. Lord Aron had grown to be a trusted friend to Zelda, being the only individual close in age, upbringing, and most importantly; bad experiences. Still, this change came with a great cost… the blood of her people.

If only she could have been there to fend off the specters with her power.

Sadly, it had already been too late, the Akkala Citadel had fallen, and dark hosts began spreading into the Lanayru Wetlands, where the Zora army destroyed or blockaded the bridges, preventing them from carrying their siege weapons across the water, and stopped their pressing advance. Goron hellfire from Death Mountain was also a great aid in halting the hordes advancement further into northeastern Hyrule.

While the Gorons were generally peaceful folk, they had a knack for machines, and so they constructed canon-like devices that lobed smoldering boulders from the slopes of the volcanic mountain they called home, which crashed down and caused disarray in the ranks of the barbaric forces from the sea. That was when the specters came for yet another attack, but Zelda was there that day to ward the frontline, sending the deathly specters on their tails into a screeching retreat.

It seemed that they were woefully susceptible to her magic, unlike the steel of swords and the heads of arrows. And since that day, Zelda made constant trips to and fro from the fronts of war, holding back the enemies wining card.

 _Those damned specters,_ she cursed. _Why don't they stop running from me, so I can put an end to them right now?_ That was unlikely, now that they came to _respect_ her power, but still, she desired their demise all the same.

Zelda sighed with tired eyes as she looked out the window of the antechamber, observing the setting sun cast its golden light onto the deceptively peaceful looking land. Seven months they had been at war in total, and Zelda wanted nothing more than for it to be over. She would be eighteen soon, a true adult, and yet she felt more like child in that moment than she had at the beginning of it all. Or perhaps she had not changed at all, but she finally understood the true depth and gravity of their situation.

Drowning was the one word she could think of the describe the sensation.

 _Eighteen,_ she echoed. Link's birthday had already passed, but she had not gotten the chance to give him his favorite treat of sweetcakes. He loved sweetcakes, she remembered, as if it was a bygone age. If only he would return to her, healed and sane for her as a birthday gift from the goddesses. No blessing would be greater.

"Princess Regent," a familiar voice said, pulling her from her brooding.

"Lord Aron," she replied with a somber smile. She waited for a beat, then pulled away from the window and dipped her head in response to his dutiful bow.

"You seem troubled," he said quietly.

"I'm always troubled nowadays," she replied sagely. "It's just some days are worse than others."

"I understand," Lord Aron said earnestly. "Did you receive any news of Link? I heard you gave a Legionnaire quite the _lecturing."_

"Yes," she said with a shudder. "The fool somehow managed to capture him, only to allow him to escape a few hours later. I'm beginning to wonder if he let himself be captured just to torment me with his escape…"

"And you said before that can't say for sure what brought this change upon him?" Lord Aron asked. Zelda detected a hint of something in his voice that she could not put a finger on. And she was usually very perceptive, but this new Lord Aron was a difficult card to read. Another similarity between him and the Link she used to know.

"I only know that whenever he first came back, he had clearly been tortured. The Physician confirmed it. My only logical explanation is that the ordeal drove him mad… You should have seen the insanity in his eyes that night." Lord Aron contemplated her words profoundly before exhaling, something stuck on the end of his tongue.

"Are the charges against him true? All of them?" he asked as if he had been wanting to ask it for the last six months. Zelda bit the inside of her cheek, memories of that night flashing in her mind's eye.

"Unfortunately."

Anger flashed in Lord Aron's expression with her response. The muscles in his pointed jaw jutted out as he clamped his teeth together, and she understood the source of his discomfort. It made her uneasy as well.

Rumors hurt even more when they were supplied by truth.

"Well. When we find him, I will ensure he is safely detained until we can figure out what has gotten into his head. Even if I'm not here, I will make sure proper precautions are put into place."

"Don't you think six personal guards is enough, Lord Aron?" Zelda asked with a point of humor.

"Against that man, no. As much as the knights may hate him, they all know and fear his skill with the blade. Including me."

"Yes, but this time I will be ready, with my powers," Zelda insisted. A faint grin stretched across Lord Aron's lips.

"Of course, Princess Regent. Not even those spectral monsters could harm you." Zelda detected no false flattery in his voice. He meant it, honestly, which made her appreciate it more. "But I'm more worried about the enemies that lurk in the dark, and strike before you even see them."

Zelda's lips thinned before nodding slightly. He had a point.

"Ah, looks like the officers are here," Lord Aron declared, concluding their private conversation. Commander Nell and Captain Morint always traveled in two, Zelda noted. They had been best friends growing up as soldiers; a bond they still shared.

Once their protocol pleasantries had been completed, they entered the Meeting Hall, where the officers gave their reports on the enemy's activities on the eastern front of the last week, and offered their solutions. They discussed trade diversions, reinforcements, resupplies, and maneuver tactics, but more often than not it ended in a dead end.

Stalemates seemed to be the reoccurring stance in this war of attrition.

At last, after the better part of two hours, they decided that Lord Aron would return to the eastern front again after he concluded his business in Hyrule Castle, and go on an ambassadorial mission to Eldin, to see if there was something the Gorons could do to give them an edge. Commander Nell and Captain Morint would leave the next morning and return to their posts, and then from their send commerce to Hyrule Castle, and to the southern front, where the Queen was currently stationed. In all honesty, their meeting turned up very little in the ways of resolution. It was as if the Alliance and the Horde would continue their stalemate for goddesses knew how long.

Zelda wondered when the breaking point would occur.

With their meeting concluded, they retired for the night, and Lord Aron walked with Zelda for a little longer, like they often came to do as of late, whenever he came to visit.

"How long will you be in Hyrule Castle?" she asked.

"I leave tomorrow. If my business concludes quick enough, I might even travel back with Commander Nell and Captain Morint."

"I see. Then I wish you safe travels."

"Thank you, Princess Regent. I pray for your safety as well… And a few extra guards to escort you." Lord Aron smiled again with a hint of humor.

"I suppose I will allow a few extra, if it smooths your feathers," she deadpanned.

"That it would. Thank you." They came to a stop when they reached a split in their path among the maze of corridors in Hyrule Castle. "Well. I suppose I will see you in a few weeks," Lord Aron said hopefully.

"In a few weeks," she nodded. With a well-practiced motion, Lord Aron grabbed both of her hands and gave them an encouraging squeeze, then pressed one to his lips. It did not feel as flirty as he used to do it, but she could not help but sense the meaning in his eyes, and the faint smile on his face. He wanted to peruse her, and she knew it, but there was a newfound gentleness in his approach that she could not find to be displeasing. In fact, she feared she enjoyed it.

He had changed a lot, and for the better. _Perhaps_ …

Guilt gnawed at her stomach. She still loved Link, even after what he did, but that was only because she was convinced he was not of his own mind. And yet, there was still hurt in her heart, and it desperately searched for relief. The relief of companionship. Companionship she knew Lord Aron was willing to offer, but Link was not.

 _No,_ she told herself. _I need resolution. I need to find Link._

"Goodnight, Zelda," Lord Aron said kindly before withdrawing.

"Goodnight," she sighed.

Guilt made it hard to sleep that night, but after a few prayers, and a rekindling of purpose, she composed her mind and drifted into a much-needed rest. She had another trip to the southern front to prepare for in three days. Her aching heart would have to wait.

* * *

Link practically lived inside his hood and mask, which revealed little more than his blue eyes. He had bought new clothing too, as the green tunic his ancestor gave him could have been a possible identifying feature, if the soldiers that had caught him were smart enough to spread the word. On top of that, they were still unbearably wet from the storm he pushed through the night before.

He had chanced upon meeting a Sheikah traveler-trader, who just so happened to have a loose-fitting shirt and pair of pants that resembled that of the traditional Sheikah Shadow Warrior armor. It was light, breathable, and most importantly, quiet. A trait common among Sheikah clothing. Link's concealment did not seem to bother the trader one bit, as it was common in their culture to conceal the face and hair on the road. They were called the Guardians of Shadows for a reason. Although, communicating with her was difficult, as he had to resort to gestures, but after a little 'yes and no' answers, they sealed their transaction with a shake, and an exchange of rupees.

With his old tunic packed away, and his new, stealthier, clothing on, Link set out south once again, towards the Great Plateau via Manhala Bridge. It was not long until he came upon another stable, which was named Outskirts Stable, so Link observed from the camouflage of the forest nearby to ensure that there were no knights nearby.

After watching for a quarter hour, he concluded that it was relatively safe, so he pressed on, keeping his face hidden, and did not draw attention to himself. It was simple enough, as the people who meandered around were either too busy with work, or too tired to socialize. After buying a mug of ale, Link sat down in the emptiest part of the inn-like tent, and turned a keen ear to hear any gossip about the happenings of the kingdom since he left. With his hood drawn low, shadowing his face, Link pulled his mask down and took pensive sips from his drink.

"…Still a stalemate on both fronts," Link caught from a conversation between two Hylian's.

"…Makes trading with Zora's domain a pain…"

"…Heard Gerudo Warriors have come to reinforce Necluda. They say they have skin dark as the mud, and beautiful breasts beyond compare. Perhaps we should go and find ourselves wives," one particularly licentious Hebra sell-sword chaffed to his travel companion after downing his drink in the far corner.

"Nah," the second sell-sword replied. "That place is bad luck. They say that rogue knight has been wondering that area, robbing people. I don't like the risk."

 _Rogue knight,_ Link chimed. That sounded like his man.

"…Still haven't found him? Slippery bastard I guess."

"If the guard's words are anything to go by, sounds like he deserves a good flogging and prison for life." The two sell-swords nodded to one another, and ordered another round of drinks. Link merely rolled his eyes.

 _Of course they think that._ Link was beginning to wonder that even if he brought the dead body of his darkling and dropped it at the Castle gate, if they would imprison him anyways, just in spite of him. If the Royal Family authorized a warrant for his arrest, then clearly, he no longer had allies, and that prospect made his heart sting with pain, and mind fume with anger.

Would Zelda even take him back now? They had survived this long without him, maybe he would just have to do his part as a freelancer, and then disappear into the night. No one would miss him once his task was complete. Still, he swore an oath to protect the Princess, and he could not do that if he was far away. If only there were a way he could be invisible, and guard his Princess without anyone's knowledge.

 _Perhaps its best if I stay disguised for as long as possible._

Regardless, there was work to do, and all those scenarios were hypothetical. He needed to focus and take things one step at a time. With his ale finished, Link took his leave, drawing his mask back over his mouth and nose. He stepped back into the breeze of the late spring air, and looked south to the path before him before striking out a brisk pace. To his left he could see the back side of the Great Plateau, standing tall and proud in the sky, and down the right fork there was a set of rickety bridges that crossed over the rushing waters that cascaded down from the River of the Dead. The cliffsides to the right marked the start of the Gerudo Highlands, where even further beyond laid Gerudo Desert.

 _Gerudo Desert,_ Link thought wretchedly. Last time he had been there, a Leviathan had eaten him, which was an experience he wished he could forget forever. Of course, that is where he had to go now.

Link kept a steady pace during the whole day, reaching the Gerudo Canyon Pass by noon, and then wound through the bending pass with cautious eyes. For being the only roadway between Gerudo and Hyrule, it certainly seemed empty. Link attributed it to the war, for lack of a better explanation.

Eventually, the soft gravel gave way to sand and rock, and the world quickly shifted into hues of brown and tan. The breeze that drifted through the Canyon began to warm, causing Link to sweat a little more than he wanted to, which meant more water breaks. He would have to start rationing again soon.

It was during his third water break that he heard the faint terrified whiny of a horse.

Link corked his waterskin, and checked his gear, incase anything happened, then set out again to find the source of the horse's discomfort. It was just around the first major bend that Link saw a horse of a reddish-brown color struggling to pull itself free from a flipped wagon. Its beautiful mane was a stark contrast to his coat, bearing that of an off-white tone, and around its hooves hung long hair of similar color. A fine horse indeed.

Link saw no movement other than the horse, which was a bad sign. No one in their right mind would leave such a fine horse just stuck on the side of the road willingly, and given the singed and charred wood of the overturned wagon, the chances of survivors did not bode well. It seemed as an explosion had turned the wagon over, Link deduced. He pulled his crossbow from his belt, knocked a bolt, and then approached cautiously, eyes dancing in all directions for the first show of aggression.

"Help…" a whisper cried out to him as he came within arms distance of the wagon. Trapped underneath the full weight of the wagon was a Gerudo woman of a young face, who's fiery red hair and golden eyes made out the features of a fierce individual. By the looks of her wagon, it seemed that whoever attacked her had already taken the bounty and ran off. Link was quick to blame his damned darkling. Who else would have access to whatever caused the explosion?

After securing the area, Link set his crossbow down and began working on freeing the Gerudo woman from her imprisonment. At first, he tried simply flipping the wagon back over, which quickly became apparent would be impossible by himself, even if he had his full grip strength, so then he tried digging the woman out. Unfortunately, beneath the inch or so of sand was nothing but a thick layer of hardened clay, which would make digging her out impossible without tools.

"Please," the Gerudo woman begged, grabbing onto Link's arm as he tried to stand. "My legs… They hurt so bad." Link cringed in sympathy. He knew all too well the pain in her eyes. The kind of pain that made one want to throw up, pass out, cry, and die all at the same time. She was suffering, and it broke his heart, which only strengthened his resolve to save her even more. If his ancestors could dedicate months of their lives to saving him, then he could do whatever it took to save this stranger. That was his job as a knight. It was his honor.

Link held the Gerudo woman's hand and squeezed it encouragingly. Given the state of her legs, she was handling the pain tremendously. There was something to be said about the strength of the Gerudo. While the Hebra sell-swords he eavesdropped in on earlier that morning were rather vulgar in their speech, they had a point about the Gerudo. Gerudo women were fierce, beautiful, and made excellent wives.

However, the last part was inconsequential to Link. For two very specific reasons…

Link paused for a moment to think of a solution to the problem. When an idea came to him like a strike of lightning, his sudden bolt into action startled the Gerudo woman who fought to remain quiet and focused on controlling her pain. He set about freeing the large horse from her bindings, and calmed her down until she listened to his commanding hand. Grabbing onto her reins, Link led the horse to the opposite side of the wagon, then from his travel bag removed his Clawshot.

The horse jumped a little when he fired the mechanical device, but a quick stroke of the mane soothed her into submission again. With a firm grip on the wagon, Link tied the Clawshot of onto the horses' harness, and commanded her to begin pulling back. The wagon creaked and groaned, but sure enough it began to tilt. He heard the Gerudo woman crawling away on her hands, moaning from the pain.

There was a loud cracking noise when the wagon finally came to rest right side up, and Link immediately ran back to the other side. Tears were in the Gerudo woman's eyes as she slumped helplessly on the ground gasping for air through the pain. Link returned to her side and helped sit up against the rock wall.

"It… It just happened so fast… I don't know how I ended up underneath. He… It… Whatever it was, took my food supplies and money." She looked into Link's eyes, tears pouring down from her own. "I need… Water," she finally sniveled dejectedly. Link quickly uncorked his waterskin and helped her drink, which ended in her sputtering up half of it when she became too greedy. After her fit of coughs were over, and she controlled her breathing she placed a delicate hand on Link's shoulders.

"What is the name of the voe who has saved me?" she asked in her thick accent. Link sighed and put his fingers to his lips in a very significant manner, then to his throat, and shook his head. "You can't speak?" she asked, rather disappointedly. Link nodded. "Then can I at least see your face? I would like to know what my hero looks like."

Link froze for a moment, unsure if it was wise to grant her wish. What if she knew who he was, and would rat him out as soon as she got home? Then again, maybe she would not recognize him, and maybe she could help him. He was in desperate need of allies, and this was a good opportunity to make one. With a slow movement, Link drew back his hood and mask, and looked back down at the Gerudo woman.

"My, my," she chortled with only a hint of pain in her voice. "Quite a handsome voe. And the scars of a true warrior on your face. Are you single?" Link would have been totally floored by her upfront question, but he had always heard of how Gerudo women wasted no time in regard to finding potential mates, even when their legs were broken it seemed. It was not uncommon for marital matches to be made within a day if they had anything to say about it. Usually, the men had no complaints. Common Hylian men were not exactly renown for being patient, and since only a single Gerudo male was born every few hundred years, the women were hard pressed to find mates outside of their tribe.

Link blinked a few times, snapping out of his thoughts, realizing she was waiting for an answer. The question now however, was how was he supposed answer? Honesty was the best policy, wise men always said, but how would he explain his… _unpleasant_ affliction, if he nodded truthfully. The husbands of Gerudo women were expected to bear their wives children in droves, which was something he could never do. Besides, even if could, he would never accept her. His heart simply would not allow it. It beat for another, even though that too could never be.

Link shook his head. It was the simpler answer, even if it was a lie.

"Oh," she sighed disappointedly, sucking in air through her teeth as a wave of pain jolted up her legs. "She must be a lucky lady to have such a kind and handsome man. I pray I will find one of my own, someday." Link allowed a moment of silence between them before turning his attention to her legs, which were swelling just below the knee, roughly mid shin. As gentle as he could, with her consent, he began feeling the area around her the swelling, searching to confirm that they were indeed broken. She grimaced in pain and bit her lip but did not stop him.

 _Splints._

Link scavenged the broken-down wagon for long, strong pieces of wood, and then placed them on each side of both of her legs. Then, using his knife, he cut long strips of canvas from the covering that served as the roof on the wagon, and used them to wrap the splints around her legs. She yelped, whined, and cried, despite how gentle Link tried to be, but still she urged him to do what was needed.

He came to admire her strength of will. He hoped he could call her an ally, once he got her to safety, and he had to part ways. Maybe even a friend. He needed one right now, since everyone else wanted him imprisoned or executed for crimes he did not commit.

"If you can get me back to the Canyon Stable, I can send word to my sister in Gerudo Town," she said after steadying her breathing. "I am forever in your debt, hero. I would offer you payment, but since I have been robbed, and you are not single, I'm afraid all I can offer is a promise to pay for my debt should you ever call upon it."

Link smiled honestly and nodded.

"My name is Sarafiki, by the way. Could you trace your name in the sand?" Link paused. Perhaps she did not recognize his face, but surely, she would recognize his true name, especially if any Hylian knights had talked to her. That was a risk he was not willing to take.

' _Gerald,'_ Link wrote plainly in the sand beside her.

"Gerald," she murmured. "A good name... Well, the sun will set in a few hours. Perhaps we should try to get going."

Link nodded, and began to lift the tall Gerudo woman from the ground, and held her in his arms. She winced in pain, but nodded for him to continue. Faint memories of another Gerudo he held in his arms like this began to invade and stab at his mind, although that one was only a child. Sarafiki took notice in the pain of his face.

"Are you all right Gerald?" she asked sweetly. Link broke himself from his nightmares and nodded unwaveringly, hiding the pain. "Don't be afraid to put me down if you need a rest." Link looked to her horse and wondered if he could get her up on its back without hurting too much. "It's worth a shot," she said, seeing his wondering gaze. Link approached the horse, and Sarafiki clicked her tongue and ordered something in her native tongue. The horse immediately came to rest on her knees, lowering her back enough for Link to step over and sit.

"We paid a fortune for her," Sarafiki said after ordering the horse to stand. "Are you in need of a horse, traveler? Perhaps I can settle my debt today after all." Instinctively, Link began to shake his head ―he always thought it was rude to accept gifts of high value― but then again, a horse would make his travels significantly easier.

A shoulder shrug would have to do.

"Please, I insist. If you need a horse, take her. Or at least borrow her. She won't be of any use to me for a long time, until I heal. It would make my heart feel better if you took her. She loves the open air, and she's very dependable. Please say that you will take her? For her sake at least? No lovely horse deserves to be cooped up for months."

Link could not argue with that, so he finally nodded. _I'm just borrowing her,_ he justified to himself.

"Good," she chimed before grimacing as her leg jostled a little too much for comfort. Link adjusted his hold on her so that she would hopefully be a little more comfortable, but after a while his back began to hurt from struggling to balance on an unsaddled horse, while holding a fully-grown woman in his arms. He was glad the stable was not far away. "I'm not the first to be attacked," Sarafiki whispered melancholily, breaking the silence. "They say a demon haunts this canyon. We've tried hunting him down for weeks, but he always slips away in the shadows. Some say he takes the form of a red-eyed monster, others say he looks like a handsome Hylian man."

Link absentmindedly set to brooding with low-drawn, haggard brows. He made a point to be extra observant while they rode through the winding canyon pass while consciously beginning to calculate his next steps. First and foremost was to get Sarafiki to safety, and see to it that she was looked after, then from there he would return to the place she was attacked, and look any signs of where his prey had gone. The creature was still nearby… Link could feel it in his bones. He would find the bastard, and make him pay.

"What brings you to this place?" she began. "Are you a trader?" Link shook his head. "Just come to visit Gerudo?" Link shook his head again. Sarafiki's lips thinned, eyes deep in thought. "Have you come to look for the demon?"

 _Bingo._ He nodded.

"Oh," she said nervously, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Please be careful. Whatever he, or it is, is very dangerous." Link looked down at the Gerudo woman and offered an encouraging nod, silently voicing his thanks for her concern, and promise to do just that. "Its only speculation," Sarafiki began contemplatively. "But perhaps you should begin by searching Karusa Valley. It used to be the entrance to the old Yiga Hideout, many years ago, but it was abandoned with the fall of the Clan. I heard some of the guards in Gerudo Town say they've seen a figure on the dunes often head that direction at night, but they believe it is reckless to go to that cursed place."

Link took in the information with investigative curiosity. An abandoned hideout sounded like a proper place for a criminal on the run to hide.

"I can't promise anything, but maybe you can find that _thing_ there. I'm sure you would be rewarded if you could put an end to this mystery." Link nodded with determination, which made Sarafiki smile. "Your expressiveness makes up for your lack of voice, you know," she said sweetly. "It's a shame you can't speak."

 _Expressive._ That was not a word Link had never thought would be used to describe him. Maybe when he was younger, yes, but now that idea seemed strange to him. He concluded that his body was only making up for the lack of proper communicative outlets, thus the need for expressiveness. That was something he would need to get under control by the time he returned to Hyrule Castle, he decided.

Sarafiki spoke very little after that, as the pain in her legs took up most of her energy and attention, but before long they came upon an opening in the canyon where there laid a solitary stable, which looked similar to the ones he had visited earlier. Link carefully covered his identity under his hood and mask, drawing a questioning, but silent gaze from Sarafiki. Link was glad she did not inquire why he chose to hide himself, seeing that it would be impossible to explain without speech.

The stable owner, while taking the situation seriously, hardly seemed surprised by the appearance of a wounded trader. It had clearly not been the first incident to have passed his eyes, so as if it were routine at this point, he offered Sarafiki a place to rest while a message was sent to Gerudo Town, where a physician and her sister would be.

"Sav'orq, and safe travels, my hero," Sarafiki said as Link shook her dainty hand gently and took his leave, now that she was safe. "Please, come see me in Kara Kara Bazaar someday. I would be more than happy to house and feed you." Link bowed his head and smiled, as a show of gratitude, then strode out of the tent.

After seeing to it that the horse Sarafiki had loaned him was boarded and taken care of, Link set westward through the Gerudo Desert Gateway on foot, as horses were rather useless on the shifting sands, and the scorching heat.

Speaking of the heat, it was unbearable under the afternoon sun. Link kept to the shadows of the mountainside to his right, but even with that, sweat began to pour out from his pores in what he swore could be buckets full. Before long, Link paused to remove his shirt, and rolled up the cuffs of his pants to allow his bare skin the chance to breath. He worried the he might get sunburned, however, so Link kept his hood on, and draped his shirt over his shoulders so that his neck and a portion of his back would not suffer too much radiation.

He wished he had some enchanted jewelry from Kara Kara Bazaar to keep him cool, but he did not have the time, nor the money to take a hiatus further west. Luckily, the sun would set in a few hours, which meant that it would rapidly cool off. Perhaps a little much even, as there was nothing to hold the warmth of the sands in.

 _Karuso Valley,_ Link thought. He had read about the origin of the Yiga in one of his history classes, and how his late King cleared their hideout, killing their eccentric leader, Master Kohga. If Sarafiki was right, then the old hideout would be deserted, except for the possibility of one particular inhabitant. Dark thoughts of revenged pitted sharply in Link's mind, but he cautioned himself out of rash decisions.

There was no doubt in his mind that he was going to kill the monster that murdered his mother, and committed treason in his name, but he would do so intelligently. Given his current state of weakness, he knew he stood little chance in all out duel against the creature that was with him since the day of his birth, but if the Sheikah Shadow Warriors were anything to go by, stealth was a great ally, and a powerful turner of tables.

Stealth would be his ally this day.

With nothing in between him and his destination but never-ending sand, Link made excellent time across the desert on foot, always keeping the cliff face of the Gerudo Highlands on his right. Miles to his left, he could see the distinct forms of both the Bazaar, and Gerudo Town itself, and even further beyond that was a monolithic _thing_ which was covered to the knees in the rising dunes.

 _Vah Naboris._

Naboris, having be inactive for nearly four decades, was worse for wear under the beating sun, and the torrential storms of dust which slowly ground away at her stony exterior. For years the Chieftain of the Gerudo, Riju, ensured that the sand that piled up against her was regularly cleared away so that she remained visible as a once living statue and idol of her people, but the tides of time and sand proved to be too great. And so, with great remorse, they gave up trying to keep Naboris clean and free of dust, and left her to weather the desert on her own.

 _A damn shame,_ Link thought. Of the four, Naboris seemed to be the only one greatly affected by their mysterious deactivation. All her brothers and sisters, in comparison, had remained relatively intact and clean, as they were not under constant barrages of sun-darkening sand storms. In a way, it could be seen as a symbolic parallelism, as like their Divine Beast, the Warrior Women of Gerudo also suffered blistering hot days, and freezing nights, the sand tearing at their skin ceaselessly, as if their kind had been cursed by some ancient evil.

Still, the Gerudo spirit could not be broken, as they survived their harsh environment with patriotic gusto. Link once again marveled at the Gerudo strength of will; it truly was amiably and inspiring.

The sun had begun to nestle its way into the horizon when Link arrived upon the entrance to Karusa Valley. With the tempature steadily dropping, Link redonned his clothing, and added his travel cloak as an extra layer against the newfound cold, and pressed on into the desolate valley.

At first, Link found no signs of activity or life, but after climbing up a particularly sharp ledge, much to his grip's dismay, Link spotted the faintest markings of foot marks in the soft sand. His first sign of the prey he greedily sought to hunt. His crossbow was in hand faster than he could blink, and he set into a quiet crouch, bleeding into the darkness of the shadows.

He passed several decrepit totems of traditional Sheikah make, although in the remnants of tattered cloth, Link could see the old crest of the Yiga Clan; an upside-down Eye of Truth covering them, as a show of defilement and abandonment of the Sheikah Tribe. It was good that the Yiga Clan had been destroyed, Link remarked inwardly. He himself even saw to the imprisonment of one of its ex-members, which was a prospect he felt rather proud of.

As he continued to track his prey, Link came upon the stone entryway of a circular antechamber, which housed several hallways. While most of them led to dead ends, Link found behind the ragged remains of a banner, a hidden passage that led further into the abandoned hideout. Link took a deep breath, then entered with hair raising caution, and cat-like stealth. His heart was racing, but he controlled his breathing admirably, and pushed on into the unknown.

Link passed room after room of empty cells, storage crates, and barracks, but still there was no sign of life, except for a singular pair of tracks in the thick sand that had accumulated on the ground after years of neglect, which Link followed like a thirsty bloodhound. He was halfway searching his third room when A faint crackling noise in a distant room made Link's heart jump, and he pinned himself against the wall, crossbow raised, and waited.

No further noise came after nearly five minutes of waiting, so Link resumed his stealthy search.

When Link peaked around the corner of a short hallway, he spotted the source of the crackling noise. It was the embers of a dying fire. Someone had clearly been there as of late, and left their fire to smolder haphazardly. If it was indeed his darkling that inhabited the abandoned hideout, then either he had not paid any attention to the training Link had received for years on end, or he had grown lazy, or stupid. Maybe even both. Any man in his right mind trying to stay hidden from hunters would know that leaving a campfire burning and not kicked apart was the first and worst mistake one could make.

Link searched the small square room that seemed to have one point served as a study, or bedroom of rich design, and looked-for clues or confirmations that the person that was hiding in the old hideout was indeed his prey. Whoever it was seemed to have packed up their belongings and left, only leaving behind a bare bed roll, a basket of half eaten food, which Link assumed was from the wagon he robbed earlier that day, and a seemingly misplaced, or forgotten dagger.

Link picked up the knife and studied it… _That son-of-a-bitch._

Link knew the knife he held in his hands all too well. It was the same knife that was driven through his stomach and chest at least a hundred times. Adrenaline surged through his body. The hunt was truly on now. He had found his man, and nothing would slow him now. With a new-found urgency, Link began searching the floors again, eventually finding a single pair of tracks that led to the north wall of the room, but stopped unexplainably right before the baseboard.

He searched the for an explanation of the mysteriously ending tracks, almost certain that there must have been a hidden passage. He remembered hearing about there being many hidden passages in the abandoned hideout, as all the young children of Hyrule had listen to the wonderful tales of their king's exploits and adventures, including his infiltration of the Yiga infested hideout.

 _A passage,_ he echoed to himself. It was the only explanation. Link continued to examine the wall with hawk-like intensity, until he came upon a nondescript vertical crack, or parting in the otherwise undisturbed painted-plaster wall. Unsure if what he had felt had been correct, he ran his hand over the crack again. Sure enough, as he had felt the first time, there was the slightest draft of air flowing through the crack. He tried pushing against the wall with all of his strength. Nothing budged, so he tried moving several feet to his right, and pushed again.

Link nearly fell flat on to his face when the wall suddenly spun clock-wise with a loud grating noise. Link exited the room with silent caution, crossbow at the ready. The passage led to a deceptively large arena-like hollow, which sported a circular pit at its center. Link gaped for a minute, then his eyes fell back down to the inconspicuous set of tracks that shot straight for the mountain-stepped exit on the east wall of the arena. If Link's sense of direction was right, then his prey was going to go up and over the Gerudo Highlands, and track down the east slope, back into Hyrule.

 _And so, the hunt is on,_ he remarked to himself with a fierce and dark grin, turning back to return to the Canyon Stable. He was going to need a horse to run down his prey, and he had the perfect steed in mind.

* * *

"We are ready when you are, Princess Regent," Lieutenant Gregson said with a bow, motioning to the contingency of Royal Guards behind him in a perfect formation. "The horses are saddled, and provision are packed. We await your orders."

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Zelda replied with a grateful dip of the chin, then place her last second touches and seal on the correspondence she had written.

"Larin," she called as she stood from her desk.

"Yes, Princess Regent?"

"Please see that this letter is given to one of our couriers and flown to the Moor Garrison. It is addressed to Commander Nell."

"Very good, Princess Regent." Larin bowed after taking the letter from her hand, then turned on his heels to set about fulfilling her request. She tried to smudge out the drop of ink on her finger, but it only seemed to spread its mark further, so she gave up on the matter entirely and stood, addressing her escorts.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. I am ready."

"There is no need to apologize, Princess," the Lieutenant said graciously, and gestured for her to lead the way. Zelda set out at a wide gait, which the guards matched effortlessly, and followed behind her out into the courtyard below. Eight pairs of feet she counted that marched behind her, but in all honesty, it did not make her feel any _extra_ safe. Not that she did not appreciate their company, but eight seemed excessive. Surely there was something better that these such highly trained warriors could be doing besides escorting her to the Dueling Peaks. It was not like she could not defend herself. In fact, with the combination of her powers, and her improved skills with the blade, she felt quite confident with traveling with no more than two escorts. Still, she understood their caution. War was a dangerous thing, and held many uncertainties, especially since Ganon was involved.

"To Necluda," she declared once they had mounted their horses.

Their path would be simple, as always. From the south gate they would cut through past Mabe Village and Ranch, round the west side of Whistling Hill, past the Great Plateau, and across Proxim bridge. Her mother was there, and she had not spoken to her in person in nearly three weeks. Her heart swelled with tempered excitement. She was in desperate need of her support and wisdom at the moment, as the weight of her responsibility as Princess Regent had begun to take its toll.

Not to mention her desire to be rid of her stingy advisors.

It seemed funny to her now. She felt more at peace traveling to the front line of war, where danger was _literally_ around any corner, than to be cooped up in the safety of Hyrule Castle with her traditionalistic advisors. _Perhaps mother can think of a better solution,_ she thought hopefully. Although, in the list of important things to achieve, that fell at the very bottom, so she would only mention it as long as they had the time and energy.

The sun peaked through the overcast clouds above in the early morning, which Zelda took as a good omen for her travel ahead. Hyrule Field always looked the most beautiful in the early morning light, dew still hanging on to the long grass. A few villagers stepped out of their cottages and waved at her as she passed through Mabe Village. She recognized many of them, as they had sheltered her and Link's knight-friends during the winter that he disappeared.

She shivered just think about the cold. And the pain. And the heartbreak that followed.

Zelda stirred herself from her thoughts, and refocused on the road ahead of them. He escorts took a traditional chevron formation around her, so that she was surrounded on all sides without running the risk of colliding too easily with the other horses. So far, everything was going smoothly, as usual. Mabe Ranch came and went faster than the village, and before long they were out in the tranquil wilds of Hyrule Field. Whistling Hill was in sight as their path took a southwestern approach, and soon they were under the shade of ancient oaks of beautiful green light.

And then the next thing Zelda knew, she was on the ground, pain shooting up her back, head, and arms.

Her ears were pierced with an ungodly ringing, and her vision was hazy, and white. She blinked a few times, too sluggish to move, and croaked for help. The air in her lungs was finally returning, and she began to gasp for air. Her vision returned slightly, only to have the daylights frightened out of her.

Two, brown eyes were staring at her. Dead eyes.

Lieutenant Gregson, who was closest to her in the riding formation was laid prostrate on the ground, blood flowing from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. Shrapnel had pierced the soft skin of his face. Zelda tried to leap up, but the moment her head stood vertical, unconsciousness threatened to take her. Her desperate breaths teetered into hyperventilation. What was happening? Zelda looked around her. Nearly all seven other knights were either dead, or struggling to stand as she was.

"Princess," one knight cried as he pulled himself by his hands, reaching for his sword. "Run!" An arrow flew past Zelda, and stuck itself into the knight's neck in the gap where his helmet stopped, and his breastplate began. The horror was too much to bear, and Zelda wailed helplessly as her last surviving escorts fell one by one to lethal arrows. She tried to summon a barrier around her and her knights, but the task proved to be too taxing, and she lost consciousness for a moment.

When she awoke, she desperately reached for her sword, but her hands were shaky and unresponsive. She was at the mercy of her attacker. Sheer panic ensued.

From behind her she could hear footsteps approaching. They were calculated, menacing, footsteps. She could almost feel the evil smile on his lips. As fast as her muscles could allow, Zelda pushed off with one arm, and rolled onto her back, sword pointed up, ready to die fighting.

"Link?"

Goddess, she could not do it. She froze instantly as his eyes locked with hers. They had the same bloodthirsty insanity inside them. He threw his bow to the ground, and drew out his sword with a slow, devilish grin.

 _Do something!_ her brain screamed louder than the ringing in her ears, but he muscles would not move. Link twirled his sword in his hand, then pointed it downwards, readying to plunge it into her chest, smile and all. She swung at his sword with what groggy strength she had, but he flicked it away with a twist of his wrist.

This was it. He was going to kill her, but then something happened. There was a noise, or several noises all at once. Hooves on gravel. The hiss of steam. The violent rattling of a chain. And then Link screamed as some metal claw bit into his right arm and yanked him backwards, drawing blood.

There was a rider on a reddish-brown horse, dressed in what looked like Sheikah Shadow armor. His hood was drawn over his head, and a mask concealed his face, except for his eyes, but her vision was to blotchy to see what they looked like. In his right hand was strapped some strange gauntlet, from which came out a long chain and attached to the claw that latched onto Link's arm, and in his left, was a crossbow of a modest design. The Shiekah rider yanked on the chain with all his might, pulling Link to the ground in a fluid motion.

 _Twang!_

The crossbow fired, and its bolt met its mark with lethal precision. Zelda was too shocked and dazed to believe what she had just seen. Her vision flickered for a moment, and before she knew it, the Sheikah was pining Link down, and forced out the last of his struggling. The Sheikah Warrior had tied off his claw device onto his horses' saddle, and she kept the chain taught, while he held down Link's left arm with his foot. They stared at each other for a moment, as if sharing some unspoken conversation. Link was still alive, that's all that mattered, and by the looks of it, the Sheikah Warrior was going restrain him and let him live…

Until Link made a gurgling noise and began to writhe wildly.

 _Goddess, please no!_ The Sheikah withdrew his dagger, and plunged it back in to Link's chest, over, and over again. _Goddess, SAVE HIM!_ Zelda tried to stand, but stumbled on her trembling hands. With her remaining strength she called forth her power, and screamed violently, sending a forcefield of energy hurling towards the Sheikah Warrior, throwing him head over heel for several feet.

Tears overwhelmed her. She could see Link gasping for air. He looked at her, his blue eyes desperate and sorrowful. The insanity had gone away, she was sure of it, and… And then he was gone… His head slumped lifelessly to the ground as blood poured out from his throat, and chest.

"Link," she wailed helplessly before darkness took her.

Someone was holding her. A man. They were riding on a horse. She could tell by the rhythmic bobbing up and down, and the jostling noise of a bridal and saddle. He breathed desperately. Something was pursuing them. She looked up to the sky. There was a black billowing mass above, trailing, and gaining on them. Two more caught up beside the other.

It was the specters, and worse, the Sheikah that killed Link was carrying her.

She fought against him, but he held on tight, never saying a word. He looked up and behind him through his mask, and spurred his horse even harder. One specter came close enough to grab on to her, and out of instinct she fired a beam of energy at it, searing its armored hand. It screeched, as they always did, but the cost of her power made her nearly pass out again.

Where was the Sheikah taking her?

Without warning, a second specter flew directly above her, and drew his sword. She swatted at it with a barrier, knocking it out of the sky. That time she did pass out. When she awoke, a stone archway was above her, and their horses' hooves struck pavement in a familiar clopping noise. Around her, soldiers and knights were yelling orders to one another, unleashing arrows, and ballista bolts skyward, trying to hit the remaining specter.

She could not remember what happed to the third one, but it must have retreated, because the firing stopped.

"…What happened?" one voice demanded. The Sheikah did not answer. Her vision faltered again, and her consciousness waned. She could barely think straight, and her grief had yet to truly break her sould. She felt herself being passed off to several pairs of hands, who set her down on a stretcher and began to carry her away.

The last thing she saw before she passed out indefinitely was a Lieutenant on the Castle Guard pulling back the hood and mask of the Shekiah Warrior. She could not see his face, because his back was turned, but what struck her as odd was that instead of white hair, like she expected from a Sheikah, there was only short, blond hair. All the knights around the man drew their swords and pointed them at him with vehement scowls.

 _A Hylian in Sheikah garb?_ The world went black before she could think on it further.


	34. Reunion

**Authors Note:** Hello! A slightly shorter chapter this update, but I hope its contents will make up for it. I'll be honest, I had a bit of a hard time writing it, since it is so charged with emotion, so hopefully it came across right. Please let me know what you guys and gals think.

As always, thank you so much for the reviews and discussions. I try to respond to all of y'all, but for those who are guests, I can't PM you back, sooooooo... Get an account you banana wielding Yiga, so that we can converse like proper humans.

Enjoy.

P.S. Happy belated Thanksgiving fellow Americans. Hope everyone had a good food induced coma like I did.

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-four, Reunion_

"Against the wall," the prison guard barked as he slammed his head against the stone. The pain that racked his head was jarring, and made him stumble. His hands and ankles were already locked in shackles, but that did not stop the guards from pointing their bows and swords at him, eyes daring him to make a move. He had already received the blunt of a few pommels to the back and head when he did not move fast enough, or did not turn to their liking.

The finest of welcomes from his oh so _caring and thoughtful_ shield-brothers, as usual…

The bruises from his last run in with soldiers had not even had the chance to heal, before he was receiving new ones. Even Zelda struck him with her powers when he killed his darkling, although he could not blame her. Clearly, she did not know of his true identity, and thought that he was just some stranger that viciously killed who she thought was ' _Link_.'

Not at all how he wanted it to go down, but the situation had gone awry before he had time to change plans.

Link was exhausted. After leaving the abandoned Yiga hideout at a full sprint across the dark of the desert in the dead of night, and saddled his horse to gallop back to Hyrule, Link had only slept a handful of hours. He spent every waking moment of his tracking down his prey, who seemed to care little for the evidence he was leaving behind. Link was glad that his darkling had been reckless, otherwise he might have been too late.

How the bastard knew where to find Zelda out in the wild, Link had no idea, but apparently, he had gathered information on her ordained outing, and sought to assault her and her escorts with a handful of magical bombs, and a plentiful supply of arrows. It seemed that Link's god-sent luck had held out once last time, as he found the demon just in time.

If only he could have been sooner. He could have saved Zelda's escorts, and prevented her from being injured.

Regardless, his task had been completed. The monster was dead, his mother avenged, and Zelda was safe, which brought him to his current predicament. He had been locked in complete isolation for a full day without food, and then the next day he had been interrogated by a slew of officers, of few he had ever met before. Apparently, the body of his likeness had not been found, even though the bodies of the other knights had been brought back for burial. The key to proving his innocence was inconspicuously missing.

No doubt the specters thought to take _it_ away before retreating. The only saving grace he had now was Zelda, but she had apparently not woken up yet, hence his continued imprisonment.

No amount of grunting and gesturing seemed to convince his interrogators that he could not physically speak. They accused him of holding his tongue out of rebellious spite, which some took the liberty of trying to beat out of him… It was pain that felt like child's play in comparison to the hell he had faced, but it was still a rather unpleasant experience.

The officers had rummaged through his belongings, taking careful inventory, and then locked them away somewhere he did not know of. If any of them had read the transcripts that his ancestor had written that explained what had happened to him, they did not mention it. They remained ignorant of that evidence apparently, and would continue to do so for the time being. Then again, Link doubted they would believe such a _'fanciful'_ story in the first place.

"Move and you'll get another mark on your smug little face."

Link nodded sourly. There was no point in putting up a fight, it would have only made things worse. The guard gestured with his head, prompting two others to enter the cell carrying buckets of water, and coarse sponges.

 _Shit._

The guards first cut away his shirt, and ripped it from his body, taking no heed of his discomfort, and then began cutting away at his pants. He moved to cover his _parts,_ or lack there of them, but they shouted warnings, and the assembly tightened their grips on their weapons. Link swallowed the lump in his throat, and steeled himself for the inevitable. The canvas of his pants ripped away, then there was a disgruntled rumble of disgust. The assembly paused, noticed his mutilation with expressions of repulsion, then quickly regained their composure and set about continuing their work.

Embarrassed did not even begin to truly express how he felt. His heart plummeted to his stomach, which churned horrendously.

He prayed to the goddesses that were turned against him that word of this great shame would never get out. It was the secret he had hoped to take to the grave, a grave he wished would come to him as soon as his responsibilities had been fulfilled, but that too would be denied. What use would he be once his purpose had been completed? His body would be more useful as fertilizer for the earth anyways, instead of being a waste of air and precious resources.

With his boots already removed, Link stood in his cell completely naked as wretched and spiteful eyes judged him. The cold water of the washing bucket assaulted his skin, and made him shiver, and then the guards set about scrubbing the grime and stench off him with unmercifully rough sponges and soap. Link bit his tongue as they scrubbed against his innumerable bruises and sore spots unforgivingly, then at last poured one last bucket of cold water over him, concluding his _'bath.'_

Why they even cared to clean him, Link could not say, but once his shackles were unhinged, and his cell door locked, a simple pair brown pants, and an old canvas shirt were thrown to him through the bars. Link snatched the clothing off the filthy floor and covered himself as quickly as he sore muscles would allow.

"As soon as we get word, you're going straight to trial, and then the executioners block," the guard snarled before stomping off, mocking him with something along the lines of 'half-man.' Link swore his ears buzzed with the rumors that undoubtedly were already spreading among the Castle Guard. He wondered what other _positively endearing_ names they would give him.

 _The Sterile Knight,_ he proposed. _The Eunuch. Half-man._ Though, what did it matter? They all meant the same thing. He just prayed beyond prayers that such vile, atrocious, and revolting words and ideas would never fall upon the Princess' ears. For both their sakes…

At last a meal had been given to him, well after twenty-four hours. Link ate greedily, wolfing down his ration in a matter of minutes before laying down on his bed to sleep. Sleep only came to him in small doses, as he would often jolt out of bed, nightmares of his last imprisonment stabbing at his mind, and making him feel like he was suffocating, but he found some sleep nonetheless, out of sheer exhaustion.

"Link?" a familiar voice asked, stirring him from his fifth attempt at falling back to sleep. Link looked over his shoulder, surprised to find the stoic faces of long-time friends. Dan, and Liam stared at him through the prison bars with guarded expressions. Link stood to reach for their hands, desperate for the embrace of true friends, but they backed away as soon as he began to reach to them.

There was pain on their faces. The look of betrayal, mixed with pity. It was more than enough information for Link to draw a conclusion. They too believed he was guilty.

"Why did you do it?" Dan asked almost in a whisper. His eyes were glassy, and his voice was wrought with sadness. "We grew up together. Trained together. How could you murder our own?"

 _I didn't do it!_ He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, but all that came out was a rage-filled grunt. His fingers bundled into tight fists, and his eyebrows furrowed into deep cut shows of anger. When was Zelda going to wake up and free him from this torment!?

"This was a mistake…" Liam conceded quietly after observing the anger in Links eyes. It certainly was not helping his case. "They told us he wouldn't speak… I just thought… I don't know." Liam turned to face Link head on and gazed at him with somber eyes. "I pray to the goddess that you find peace, lost friend."

The anger melted away, and Link's eyes softened as his fists uncurled. Even though he knew he was innocent, it hurt to watch his friends abandon him. How could he blame them though? His darkling's disguise was all too convincing. Not a scar or hair out of place. It was only logical that they believed it was truly him, but that still did not take away the hurt. He thanked Hylia that Jonathan was not with them. He would have died if he had to hear his oldest friend abandon him.

"We're sorry, Link…" They locked eyes with him one last time, and frowned. They did not even say goodbye before they turned on their heels and left down the corridor.

 _I understand._

Link sat back down on his bunk and pulled his knees up against his chest, face buried in the loose fabric of his prison-wear. He wished he had his harp with him to occupy his mind, and to play the slow lullaby that brought him peace and comfort at night, but he had no such relief. And so, as the hours swept by, his patience and sanity began to waver.

 _Please Zelda,_ he begged in prayer. _Please wake up. I can't stand this._

As always, no answer came. Neither from the goddesses, nor from Zelda. He rested his head against the stone wall to his back and listlessly stared at the cell on the opposite side of the hallway. There were two prisoners inside, both of which, if their ears were any indicator, were Faronites. Their long dark runs hair were pulled back and tied haphazardly, and their beards were long an unkempt, but overall, they seemed healthy and well fed. Occasionally he would hear them speak to one another in low voices, but he made no effort to try to listen or understand anything they said. It was not like he could understand their language anyways.

Link then wondered if Zelda had managed to speak with MiarindÍl yet, and had the Faronish language translated for them. He had honestly practically forgotten all about them ever since he had been kidnapped months earlier. So many other things had come to distract him. Very unpleasant things.

However, now that he was finally home, he concluded that his next step would be to continue where he left off earlier last year's winter, in addition to restoring the Master Sword to its true power. That was of course, after he was finally cleared of his charges, where hopefully he would never have to see the inside of a prison cell ever again. Then again, hope was a dangerous idea which, in his experience, led to more pain, so he guarded his mind against that idea and accepted the chance that he very well may be trapped in a cell someday again.

 _I'm sure they'll find some reason to see me punished for some ridiculous crime. Goddesses know my shield-brothers have tried before._

This thought only solidified his notion that hopefully the grave would find him as soon has his role was fulfilled, as it was very unlikely that most people would want him around. It was death, or the life of a hermit, and if he had to be honest with himself, death sounded more appealing of the two. Life would be too painful to live once his purpose was complete, and dealing with the feeling of uselessness very much sounded like an unachievable feat. However, at the end of it all, his body belonged to the steadfast service of his kingdom. He would serve until he was no longer wanted or if he impeded Zelda in anyway, and then he would leave, free to die in peace, or live in seclusion. Preferably the option that ended his suffering sooner.

He prayed that Zelda would understand, and that she would someday move on, marry a noble man, have children, lead her kingdom, and be forever happy. She deserved it. He knew she would make a wonderful queen someday. She would be the wonderful queen of a wonderful kingdom, where he would not be there to mess things up, but until then, he would do his job.

 _Maybe now we can just be friends_ … _Maybe she'll listen to reason, and abandon these naïve notions of romance._ As much as that thought hurt, it brought him a little peace. He could never have her as a lover, no matter how much he wanted it, but it would mean the world to him if he could have her as a friend. Just his friend.

Hopefully he could convince her of that without having to reveal his great shame of his inaptitude.

After another hour or so of guided thoughts, Link heard the sounds of many pairs of boots striking against the pavement in a uniform manner. Before long a detachment of Royal Guards appeared, and ordered him to face the wall with his hands behind his back. He followed their orders, and waited for them to enter and cuff him. However, in addition to his wrists and ankles being chained, a metal collar was closed around his neck, where four chains were bolted onto it so that the guards could hold him completely still without coming into to range of his arms.

The fools thought he was really going to try to take on all of them at one time. In a way, it was flattering that they feared him that much.

"We're taking you to the Queen. If you make any effort to do anything unsavory, we will not hesitate to beat you black and blue. Understood?" Link nodded his consent, as if he had any other option. His heart then began beat nervously inside his chest after realizing that he had not accounted on seeing the Queen first. Link prayed that she would not opt to have his head cleaved off then and there before Zelda even had a chance to wake up and realize his innocence.

 _Surely she would not be so unwise, right?_

Only time would tell now. The Royal Guards, along with the officer of the Prison Guard led him out of the dungeon by chain, and pulled him up countless flights of stairs until they reached the pinnacle of Hyrule Castle; the Inner Sanctum. He found that he was at a shortness of breath after climbing what felt like a mile's worth of stairs, but he focused on controlling his breath and regained his composure.

The Queen, looking like the personification of grace and regality, sat on her throne upon the dais before them, where a team of Royal Guards were scattered on each side of her. His darkling must of really stirred up trouble if that was the extent they were willing to take for security measures.

Before the Prison Guard officer even ordered him, Link took a reverent knee, and bowed his head. They did not seem to enjoy his show of deference, as they were certain he was just being manipulative or flattering, but Link took a knee all the same to show his honest respect towards his sovereign.

"Master Link," she greeted him formally, without hint of emotion, although he could tell that she was being guarded and cautious, farfetched from the personable way he had heard her speak before. Given the situation, it was only natural that she acted so cautiously. For all she knew, he very well could be the criminal he was accused of being. "If the story I have read in the transcript your supposed ancestor wrote is to be believed, then you cannot speak, correct?"

Link nodded.

"Then I hope you understand that I cannot yet fully accept this as truth." she posed almost as a question, holding up the roll of parchment his report was written on.

Link nodded again.

"It is simply too… _Convenient._ It would be most unwise to believe these things, as odd as the current predicament must wait until the Princess awakens, to offer proof to this claim, if she can. In the meantime, could you please write down what transpired after you left your ancestors. Again, I cannot accept it as truth yet, but in the event that you are telling the truth, and you are in fact innocent of what I can only assume is this ' _darkling's'_ crimes, then I would be very interested to hear your story."

Link bowed his head in a show of understanding.

"Remove the chains on his wrists and let him sit." It was not until she motioned to his left that he saw that a temporary desk had been set up in the Sanctum, complete with writing utensils and paper.

"Are you certain, your grace?" the Prison Guard officer asked daringly. "He has been the cause of many of our men's deaths. I would be weary to let his hands free."

"Lieutenant," she started sternly. "if he could escape from that collar restraint _and_ a score of Royal Guards, then he would have done so already. Release his hands. No more, no less." The Lieutenant frowned sourly, but made no further protests. After Link was led to the desk to his left, the Lieutenant produced a ring of keys, and unlatched the shackles around Link's wrists.

"Remember my promise of a good beating, scum," he snarled in Link's ear before forcing him to sit with a rough hand. As the room fell silent, the tension only grew more palpable and thick, but Link ignored it and stretched his fingers before recalling everything that had happened from the moment he traveled through the Gate of Time, all the way to when he brought the Princess back to the safety of Hyrule Castle, only to be immediately arrested.

It was tiring using his wobbly and weak fingers for so long, and his letters began to drift a little, but they were far better than those of the ones he had written when his fingers were bound in cumbersome splints and bandages, and he managed to simplify his story enough to fit it all on only two pages. When his long essay was complete he placed his quill down and removed his hands from the desk, signaling that his message was ready to be read. The Prison Guard officer snatched up the paper with a glare, then walked it over to the Queen, who read it with a critical but enthralled gaze.

Absentmindedly, Link reached up to his neck to scratch an itch, which cause his guards to pull against his chains and warn him to not move, which unceremoniously disturbed the Queen from her reading. Link tried to suppress a slight grin that began to stretch across his lips at the guards' jumpiness, and for a moment he swore that something of a similar expression darted across the Queen's face as well. After a few more minutes of silence, the Queen returned her attention to Link.

"Well. I have a lot to think about, and I have many questions. But until we can determine the validity of your claims, then we will not speak of such things quite yet. For now, I must detain you as charged. I've seen to it that your cell is made a little more comfortable, just in case you are innocent, but you will not be left unguarded." Link bowed his head respectfully, and began to scribble one last question before he was dismissed. The Prison Guard officer read the message aloud, with no small amount of vitriol distaste.

"'Is the Princess all right?'"

"Yes," the Queen replied reservedly. Link waited to hear if she would say more, but after a brief pause he realized that she was withholding the rest of her information, for reasons Link could only attribute to having a level of healthy skepticism and hesitation to share information with a potential enemy. However, Zelda was safe, and that's all that really mattered to him. All the other information would reveal itself once he was free… If he was freed.

There was still the glimmer of doubt, and Link gave it a strong foundation in his mind, fearing its potential to become true. _Always better to accept the worst-case scenario, and be surprised, then to foolishly hope and be let down,_ he thought stoically _._ Link bowed before his Queen before being led back to his cell, where he would sit idly by, and await his salvation.

His mind drifted back to Zelda, as he once again hoped that maybe, just maybe, they could grow to be steadfast friends, but no more than that.

* * *

" _Please Zelda. Please wake up. I can't stand this." A dagger cut his words short, as it slipped effortlessly into his throat and up into his mouth, resulting in blood gushing out of his mouth. She tried to move, but her legs and arms would not respond._

" _Please Zelda!" He screamed as tears cascaded from his eyes. Every word he spoke spat blood to her, but there was nothing she could do. She could not breath, and yet she was hyperventilating at the same time._

" _Link! I can't move! Goddess I can't move!" The vocal cords vibrated so violently inside her throat that she could feel them begin to tear and bleed, but she kept screaming, wailing, and crying. Grunt after grunt, the knife was driven into his throat and chest, but all he did was scream her name and desperately reached for her hand. She tried to scream his name, but her throat seized up. Her vocal cords were injured. She could not speak! Panic consumed her, and she began writhing and contorting, but her restraints would not let her go._

 _Link was dying. No, he was dead. And there was nothing she could do but weep._

She bolted up right in bed, only to be caught in gentle arms. "Zelda, darling!" When did her mother get there? How long had she been asleep? Zelda threw her arms around her mother's neck and began to sob wildly. Her mother wrapped her arms around her and began to gently rock her back and forth. "Hush my darling. Everything will be all right."

"How!? How will everything be all right!?" Zelda howled. "He's dead! Link is dead!"

"No sweetheart," her mother replied calmly as she stroked her hair. "He's alive. They have him detained." Zelda wrenched herself away in disbelief.

"What!? But I saw him die! That man dressed as a Sheikah cut his throat and chest open!" Zelda tried to stand out of her bed, but the moment her feet touched the floor her head began to spin, and she fell back into the bed. She had over exerted her powers again, but it was much worse this time. She would need a little while longer before she could stand.

"Zelda. Link is alive…"

Zelda was completely frozen. She could not wrap her head around it. She was certain he had seen him die, but her mother reassured her that he was not. Maybe she was still dreaming. Maybe it was all fake.

"I have spoken with him… Well, spoken _to_ him. He's a little bruised up, but alive and well."

"Mother," Zelda croaked, still unbelieving. "I… I don't understand… How? I watched Link die! That man in Sheikah clothes drove a knife into his throat and chest, and then brought me back here."

"Zelda, there is no Sheikah man. I need you to calm down so that we can get this situation sorted. Tell me everything you remember." Zelda cleared her throat. Her mind was a jumbled mess, and the over exertion of her powers only made her mind foggier and slower, but she tried to recall the important details.

"We… We were on our way to visit you on the south front, as we had discussed, and then we were suddenly attacked. I don't know what happened, but I woke up on the ground, ears ringing, and all my escorts were either already dead, or were struggling to stand. And then Link appeared and shot them, and came to kill me last, at least I think he was. But then that man disguised as a Sheikah came riding in on a reddish-brown horse, and he managed to stop Link with this strange claw device, and… And then he killed him… Shot him with a crossbow, and then stabbed him with a dagger." Her mother's eyebrows furrowed with confusion, and her eyes grew listless, as if she were trapped deep in thought. For a few seconds, Zelda felt like her heart was going to implode, waiting to her what she would say.

"So you did not see this other man's face?" her mother asked quizzically, although clearly knowing more than she led on.

"No. He had it hidden behind a Sheikah Shroud. I only briefly saw the back of his head before I passed out."

"I see. And did Link have long hair?"

"What?" Zelda asked, helplessly puzzled by her arbitrary question.

"Link, did he have long hair?" her mother reiterated.

"Yes, of course he did, why…?" Her mother's eyes softened, as if her answer was satisfactory. "Mother. I don't understand."

"So, it is true then," her mother aired off to the distance before enthusiastically returning to Zelda and grabbed her hands encouragingly. "It all makes sense."

"What makes sense!?" Zelda asked a little more harshly that she intended to, but her emotions were wreaking havoc on her composure.

"Zelda. We were deceived. Link never attacked you, at least not the real him. The man you thought was Link, is but an evil shade. A dark spirit sent in his likeness to kill you, and turn the kingdom against the real Link." The Queen squeezed Zelda's hands, stopping them from shaking so much and smiled. "Sweetheart. The man dressed in the Sheikah armor is no stranger. He is the true Link, in the flesh."

The words on Zelda's tongue stuttered and fell out ungracefully, but after getting over the initial shock of her mother's outlandish claim, she managed to spew out: "How? If he is the real Link, then why is he being detained!?"

"Because we were uncertain if his story was true. His story matches yours exactly, but because the body of the darkling was never found on the scene of the attack, we had no way of truly testing the truth of his tale. But now that you are awake, and have confirmed his story, we have proof that he is indeed the true Link. Link saved you from the demon that murdered our knights, and tried to force himself on you."

Zelda swallowed the saliva in her throat painfully. Could it really be true, or was she still dreaming? How did the ' _darkling,'_ as her mother called it, come into existence? Where was the real Link for the past six months!? These questions and more came pouring into her mind, threating to overload her mental faculties, and she began to feel faint with emotions of joy, disbelief, and fear. Without her knowledge, tears began to run down her cheeks, although she could not attribute to which emotion they came from.

"Where is he?" she finally gasped desperately after her mind was beginning to feed her with the truth she had just heard.

"In the dungeons, although I will have him released right away. His charges will be dropped immediately."

"I need to see him! Right now. Please!"

"Well you will need to get dressed first," he mother teased with a beaming smile. "And," she added, pointing at her stomach. "You need to eat, desperately. You will pass out again if you even think about trying to move. I will have Gretel bring you food immediately, and to give you a bath. It will take some time for me to put the guards at ease with releasing Link." Her mother stood to leave, but paused for a moment. She looked down at Zelda, and her eyes grew serious again.

"Zelda," she began quietly. "There's one last thing. There's something I need to read before you see him… It will explain why he went missing, and what has happened. I'm afraid it is not pleasant." Zelda's rising spirits dropped the moment her mother shared these words, and she sank back into the bed wearily, terrified of what unpleasant things she spoke of. Her mother produced a tightly wound roll of parchment paper and handed it Zelda forebodingly before kissing her on the brow and slipping away to begin the process of releasing Link.

"I will be back as soon as I can. Stay strong dear." Zelda nodded with a worried expression and inhaled deeply as she unrolled the parchment.

' _It was the day after Link left Damel Forest when he and Jonathan's attempts to have Drodvaltol translated by MiarindÍl failed, and were forced to turn back without any helpful information. They had split ways at Batrea Lake, and as he reached Hyrule Field, a blizzard of the likes he had never seen before engulfed him, and sent his horse into a frenzy, running him into a low hanging branch and knocked him off the saddle._

' _That was when the three specters attacked him, and captured him…'_

Zelda was so mortified by every detail that followed that she did not even notice Gretel enter with warm food. It made her handmaid feel very uncomfortable and concerned watching as Zelda ate her food without ever pulling her eyes away from the paper except to massage away tears. She tried to coerce her to stop reading and finish her meal and bathe, but no amount of persuasion seemed to pull the Princess Regent from the pages of the story that ailed her. Each turn of the page only made her heart sink lower, and ache more.

Her tears fell like an autumn rain; cold, and dark, foreshadowing the coming of a season full of trial and struggle. After nearly an hour of reading, Zelda finally reached the very last page which only had a very short passage, and bore the perspective of a first-person message. Zelda assumed it was the closing words of the First Hero of Old.

' _I pray that Link does not find this entry, as I am sure he would remove it, as he has done with many of the more detailed passages of his torture, which he detached because I assumed he wanted to spare you the pain. I will sneak it in his bag right before he leaves. If by chance he does not find this, and it makes it into your hands, Zelda, I have something very important to say._

' _Link needs help._

' _I'm sure of course that you already know this, but I have seen into the depths of his mind. The wounds of his torment stretch far beyond that of physical ones, to an extent that I do not think he himself understands. He thinks that I do not know of the nightmares that haunt him nearly every night, but I have heard the screams and desperate tears of a man, a boy, who has been traumatized beyond belief. But worse than this, he believes that he must bear it all on his shoulders without help, and without showing his suffering. There is an unmatched courage in his determination and spirit, but that courage ends in all things outside of his duty. He fully expects, and desires that he will perish as soon as his role is fulfilled._

' _That monster that lived inside him coerced him into believing that he is deserving of nothing but pain. Since his birth, It has combed and molded his own mind against him, and while I believe that he has partially been freed from its poison, I still fear for his own humanity. With the Spirit of the Hero not there to guide him, the trials ahead will be demanding, and painful._

' _Link needs help. He needs you. Even though he will try to push you away, and distance himself, please understand that he only does this because that is what he is convinced he is supposed to do. He has never stopped loving you, and that only makes him hurt even more. Please, do everything you can to show him the light._

' _Sincerely,_

 _Your Hero's ancestor and namesake.'_

Zelda dropped the paper on her desk and slouched into her chair, pressing her palms against her eyes to wipe away her tears that stubbornly stuck with her. Gretel practically had to drag her away from her chair and get her into her bathtub to clean up. Her handmaid tried to approach the topic with a motherly and soothing tone, but Zelda politely brushed her away, just desiring a moment of silence. And so Zelda quietly waded in the water as her maid helped her bathe.

"What would you like to wear, my lady?" her handmaid asked as she dried her off.

"Something practical and easy to slip into. I won't be leaving the castle today," Zelda replied plainly.

"I would hope not, sweet Princess. You look paler than snow. What in the world was written on that paper to make you cry so much?" Zelda swallowed the lump in her throat before answering.

"It's a transcript of everything that happened to Link… I just…"

"I see. The Queen spoke to me briefly about what has transpired," she replied quietly. "I'm glad to see that it was all a misunderstanding. Never in a million years did I think that boy would do something like all those terrible crimes. I'm just happy that he has been proven innocent."

"I am too," Zelda conceded. Her heart rose a little. At least she had one good thing to look to. Link was home for real this time, broken as he may be, but it was her Link. The fiercely loyal, selfless, and gentle one. The thought of seeing him brought her newfound hope and desire, even with the horrible news she had received of their dire situation.

However, the Master Sword, Ganondorf, Demise; all of it could wait one day. She intended, and full heartedly desired to fulfill the First Hero's wish, and give Link the help he so desperately needed. She had already began forming a plan on how they were going to get him to MiarindÍl so that they could hopefully heal his fingers, voice, and anything else they could, as well as try to heal the wounds of his mind. MiarindÍl would know how to help best, she was certain of it.

That was of course, if she had finally awoken. Zelda had not had the opportunity to return to her now that it was spring as it was both dangerous and highly inconvenient given the war that raged on in the region, and with her new responsibilities as the Princess Regent, and the only one who possessed the powers to fend off the corrupt goddesses, she had very little time to spare, much less travel for two days or more.

Although, now she had a very legitimate reason to go.

It was not long after Zelda had been dressed that a knock finally came at the door, and Zelda's mother entered. She had brought two physician's assistants with her, along with a wheelchair, which Zelda was loathed to be pushed in, as it made her feel like a crotchety old woman, but she reluctantly agreed to sit in it. Zelda wanted to look strong and capable for Link, not helpless and weak, but given her inability to even stand from muscle exhaustion, a wheelchair would look better than being carried in someone's arms… Unless it was _his_ arms, of course.

Regardless, that was all superficial now. All that really mattered is that she could see him. Talk _to_ him. _Hold him,_ if he would allow it. And so, Zelda wrung her hands nervously as she was carted the Family Study. There were a few stairs to climb, but luckily the physician's assistants seemed more than capable of hoisting Zelda up and down them with relative ease ―she always was rather light― and after a few measly minutes of walking, they reached the Family Study which was dimly lit in the approach of night by a warm fire and a few candles.

Everyone expect Zelda welcomed the fire, as over exerting her powers always made it nearly impossible to stay warm, but for her sake, they let the fire roar in the heat of the late spring. Zelda took notice of a few Royal Guards that silently slipped in, spears at the ready, and rather troubled expressions on their faces.

It was obvious they did not trust the Queens judgment, but they did not openly protest, except in the show of arms.

Zelda shuffled out of her wheelchair and plopped onto the sofa as close to the fire as possible and waited anxiously for Link to be seen in. Her mother sat down next to her and offered an encouraging smile and squeeze of the hand, then motioned that they were ready. Zelda's heart beat so loudly against her ribcage that she was certain everyone else in the room could hear it, but she kept a composed expression.

There was some whispering outside the door, and then it finally swung open. Two Royal Guards proceeded the procession, followed by Link, and two other guards. They presented themselves in front of the Queen and Princess Regent, and bowed silently before stepping to the side.

Link's hair was short, no longer than two inches, but it retained its characteristically golden color, and looked just as soft and desirable as ever. She wanted to run her hands through it. His face bore the same old scar that stretched across his brow, down to his cheekbone, as well as a few other nicks and marks, and besides the fresh bruise on one cheek, he looked wholesome. Zelda was surprised to find that in addition to all this, a rather scruffy beard grew on his jaw and chin, and was much thicker that what was considered normal for someone of his age, but now that she thought about it, he looked much older than eighteen. However, there was one thing that remained unchanged and true as ever. His eyes, behind the weary and worried bags, were electrifyingly blue as ever. Fierce, wild, and honest, and yet there was a sadness to them. They were eyes that had seen and felt great pain.

She instantly began to crumble when his eyes locked with hers, conveying more meaning to her than she ever thought possible. He dropped to one knee, and bowed with complete self-effacement.

"Please," Zelda begged with a wavering voice. "Stand." She wanted it to sound more like an honest, none demanding request, but he rose from his knee with practiced ease and stiffened into a proper attention required for the fulfillment of knightly etiquette. He seemed so resolute in his stance, that if he were wearing a suit of armor, Zelda was certain he would blend right in with his shield-brothers, as if he had not just suffered through the most traumatic, painful, nightmare-inducing months of his life. Staring into his listless eyes made her throat seize up and heart squeeze. She did not know what to say. How would one even approach this situation?

She knew what she would do if no one else was in the room. She would throw her arms around him and kiss him until her lips hurt, but they were not alone, and given the way Link was acting, she was certain he would react negatively.

"Link," Zelda continued nervously. "May I see your hands…?" It was the best she could come up with since the way his eyes shifted painfully around her was destroying her already shaking nerves, and the desire just to touch him was overwhelming. Link hesitated, and scanned the room. The guards' glares intensified, and Link's face contorted into an equally stand-offish scowl, but after prolonged blink and a nervous nod, he stooped down and held his hands out.

His fingers seemed relatively all right, although one nail was still growing from the root of a finger on his left hand, and a few knuckles seemed ever so slightly crooked. Despite his obvious strain to keep them still, his fingers trembled slightly, and he seemed covertly embarrassed by this, as he began to withdraw them after a moment, but Zelda instinctively reached out and grabbed his open palms. Feeling his warm skin sent shivers up her arms and she fought the urge to pull him in.

The guards would lose their minds if she did that, and she did not want to test the already thin ice.

"Goddess. I've missed you so much, Link…" It was such a faint and desperate whisper that her own mother barely heard it, but the corners of Link's lips curled up and he bowed his head before withdrawing, and accepting the piercing eyes around him with practiced stoicism.

The tension in the room was so palpable that she swore she could swim in it.

"Perhaps you would like to sit, Link?" the Queen finally intervened coolly. Link's disciplined attention wavered a little, and he looked to the chair she gestured to behind him, and then to the guards, who looked like they believed he was guilty for the crimes of his darkling. His lack of an immediate answer spoke volumes.

"Gentlemen, if you wouldn't mind clearing out," the Queen said without taking her eyes off Link.

"Your grace, I don't think that would be wise," the highest-ranking guard began. "We ̶ "

"Do I need to explain his innocence again?" the Queen snapped. No answer came. "Now let go of these foolish misconceptions, and clear out." The guard bowed and ordered the remained of those under his command to leave the room. Zelda could instantly feel the tension relieve some, although Link was still looking as stiff as a board. Once the room fell silent again, the Queen offered for him to sit, which he did very slowly, and very reluctantly. Every inch of his body tensed with discomfort… or pain. Zelda could not say.

"Link," Zelda started, finally feeling brave enough to speak again. "I… words cannot begin to describe how sorry I am that this has happened to you. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to help you, and protect you. You have paid a terrible price for your kingdom, and for me. I just want you to know that I am going to do everything I can to set things right. Once I am well enough to travel, we will go and visit MiarindÍl, and we will see about healing you." Link's eyes softened, and he began to shake his head, and knowing Link, he was trying to deny the necessity of her apology, and that it was somehow his fault. His eyebrows furrowed for a moment, and then he held his hand out and gestured the motion of writing on his palm.

"There's a notebook and a pencil in that draw next to you," Zelda's mother replied, pointing to the side table to his left. Link scavenged the draw carefully, and then began to jot notes on the notebook. He tore off the page and handed it to Zelda.

"' _I was the foolish one. I should have waited. I won't fail like that again_ ,'" Zelda read aloud.

"Link, please, don't beat yourself up over this," she said, her eyes feeling a little wet. "There's no way you could have known." Zelda shifted in her seat as every inch of her body tingled with a wash of emotions. "But what has happened has happened. Let's not dwell on the past. Let's focus on getting you back to normal okay?" Link jotted down another note.

' _Yes, Princess. But we also need to work on restoring the Master Sword. That is more important.'_

"But how will you wield the Goddess Sword if your fingers are this weak?" Zelda asked sagely. "Your healing comes first. Everything else is second."

' _Yes, my lady,'_ Link acquiesced. His writing was plain and simple, but Zelda noticed the complexity in his expression. He was brooding up a rather severe storm, and so Zelda sought to distract him with a lighter topic.

"Link. What were they like? Our ancestors?" Link licked his lips and wrote his thoughts down on the notebook, absentmindedly allowing a small smile across his lips.

' _Very generous. They took care of me. I wish I could thank them somehow. They treated me like family'_

"Well, they are your ―our― relatives, in a way. Granted, probably most Hylians are descendants of them, but still," Zelda commented. Link nodded and shrugged his shoulders dismissively, but with well-mannered humor. The glimmer of amusement in his eyes made Zelda's heart flutter, furthering her primal desire to snatch him up into her arms and show him how much she really missed him whether he liked it or not.

Of course, he would like it, but he would try to fight the feeling.

There was a break in his writing as he jumped down a line. _'The First Descendant is very much like you. Smart, kind, fierce, wise. The First Hero is unbelievably strong, and courageous. Fi showed me his memories. I've never seen anything like it.'_ Zelda read his note with an endeared smile, as Link sat patiently opposite of her, slowly relaxing more in his chair.

"And Skyloft? Your ancestor only briefly mentioned it."

' _It's a sight to behold. The City in the Sky is incredible. The bustle reminds me of Castle Town. The people are very kind.'_ Link's expression saddened slightly when he wrote it, but Zelda could not figure out why. Perhaps he missed them? Or was it something else…?

"Well if there's one positive take away from this," Zelda's mother cut in, finally breaking her amused silence. "Its that Link has had a rare opportunity to recollect our lost history. I'm sure the librarians would faint at the chance to pick at every detail of what you have seen of the Old World, once everything is set right." Again, Link's expression shifted unpredictably, and uncomfortably, but he did not express his thoughts on paper, and simply recomposed himself.

' _If you wish it, your grace.'_ Now that Link's voice was gone, Zelda seemed to notice the subtleties in his body language much better than she ever had before. If it was a by product of his body acting to counteract the missing mode of communication, or if it was the lack of his voice just made it easier to focus on his expressions, Zelda could not say for certain. Either way, she was just glad that he was loosening up a little now that the guards were gone.

Zelda wondered how much more he would loosen up if her mother was gone…

' _How long was I gone exactly,'_ Link wrote plainly, stirring Zelda from her thought.

"Seven months in total. Your darkling appeared three weeks after you vanished, and had us on a wild goose chase for six months, and then you showed up again and he… he… you killed him," Zelda replied shakily. Then, quite suddenly, the images of her murdered escorts flashed before her mind's eye, and caused her to shudder violently. Her mother's hand wrapped around hers and squeezed encouragingly. Zelda closed her eyes in attempt to remaster her composure, but she could hear Link writing furiously. The note was placed into her hand.

' _I avenged them, the soldiers he murdered. And you. And my mother.'_ Zelda looked up into his eyes and saw the terrifying determination within them.

"Your mother," Zelda aired sadly. "I'm sorry. I almost forgot… Link, I'm so sorry for your loss." Link's determined expression wavered a little and he sank a little into his chair.

"What was her name?" Zelda's mother asked in almost a whisper that was caring and soothing. Link's eyes softened into a somber and listless look.

' _Ellen.'_

"A beautiful name," Zelda droned sympathetically. "What was she like? You ancestor did not write down what she looked like exactly." Link seemed reluctant to hand over his note, but after he inhaled deeply and gathered his courage, he passed the message along.

' _She was beautiful. Her hair was long and golden, like mine. I have her face and eyes. Her voice was like a soft lullaby... I wish I could have met her.'_

"Did she have family alive then?" Zelda's mother asked, her voice peaked with investigative interest. Link pursed his lips for a moment, admittedly surprised by her question, but the gears in his head began to turn.

' _I don't know… My father never spoke of her family. I think they had a falling out since he convinced her to move from her hometown to Castle Town. I've honestly never thought about it till now. I knew nothing about her family, and my father's relatives all passed away years before I was born.'_

"Where was she from?"

' _Hateno Village. She was a shepherd.'_

Zelda and her mother froze, realizing the implications of what they had just read. If Link did happen to have family still alive, then they were certainly dead now that Ganondorf's Horde had captured the Necluda province.

' _Do you think she still has family alive?'_ Link wrote urgently, his eyes flashing in the firelight.

"Possibly," Zelda's mother replied carefully. "But, I'm afraid Hateno Village has fallen to Ganondorf's control… I can't say for certain." Link's eyebrows furrowed horrendously, and he leaned back into his chair with a grim expression. A silence fell upon the room, except for the crackling of the fading fire beside them. Zelda looked to the window to find that the sun had finally set completely, and the world was plunged into the dark of night, signaling that it was time for some much need sleep ―even if she had only awoken a few hours earlier, her exhaustion drained her of all energy. Zelda's mother seemed to read the atmosphere and mood of the room as she steadily stood from her seat. Per protocol, Link stood as well, to show his respect to the Queen, although his face was still clouded with thought.

"Well, it is nearing bed time, and I think we could all use some sleep. It has been an eventful day to say the least." The Queen placed an encouraging hand on Link's shoulder. "Your room has already been prepared. I hope you will enjoy sleeping on your own mattress. You deserve it. New clothing will be brought to you in the morning." Link bowed his head, finally breaking from the spell of absentmindedness, and mouthed, 'thank you.'

"I will go get the physician's assistants to help you back to your room," the Queen declared to Zelda and promptly left the room. Zelda got the inkling of a feeling that her mother left the room with the intention of allowing them to be alone together for just a moment. She tried to suppress her mischievous grin.

"Link," Zelda said quietly. He inclined his head. "Could you help me into my wheelchair?" Link smiled in a way that somehow conveyed the kind words of, 'of course' and stepped forward to help her stand. She held onto his arms and let him do most of the work, but before he walked her to her wheelchair, Zelda wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly, burying her face into his chest. Link was a little startled, and stood rather awkwardly, but after a moment of very deliberate, and sensibly heavy contemplation, she felt his arms close in around her back. It sent shivers down her spine.

"Don't you ever disappear again," Zelda teased, although she could not hide the hint of teary-eyed honesty in her whisper. "I would go insane. I need you here." She felt his chin bob against her shoulder, signaling that he was nodding, and so she squeezed a little harder, but then he winced in pain.

"I'm sorry!" she rushed to say as she pulled her head back. "Mother said you were bruised up, I just didn't know where." Link shook his head amusedly, shrugging his shoulders to say that it was okay. "We'll talk more about it tomorrow, okay?"

Link smiled dutifully and nodded before leading her to her wheelchair and gently helped her sit.

"And don't think you can get out it," she teased with an accusatory finger. "I have many, many questions. For science of course." For a moment Zelda swore she saw Link roll his eyes jestingly, but he turned his head before she could confirm her sighting. Either way, she was just glad that he was opening up finally.

Which of course was the strangest oxymoron, as Link physically could not talk, and yet he had shared more emotion freely with her that night than he had done in recent memory when he could speak. The prospect made her chuckle with amusement, and heart swell.

"Goodnight, Link."

Link bowed dutifully and smiled as he watched her be carted away back to her room.


	35. A Hope for Friendship

**Author's note:** Apologies for the wait. School and work, the usual one-two K.O. punch make things difficult. Anyways, this is a relatively lighter chapter (for the most part). So please enjoy!

 **\- Written in Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-five, A Hope for_ _Friendship_

"Do you know where Master Link is?" Zelda asked after searching him out for the better part of a quarter hour. She was mere minutes away from just waltzing to his room and checking if he was still asleep herself, but patience was a virtue her mother stoutly forced into her head, and so she had not resorted to that yet.

"I saw him a breakfast this morning, Princess Regent," Old Larin answered with a mixed expression. He seemed uneasy, but not completely unnerved by the sudden expungement of Link's charges. Word of what happened was still being spread around the hold of the castle and Castle Town via Town Cryer who were specifically instructed by the Queen, but that only seemed to soothe the more benevolent servants, and citizens. "Where he went after that I can't say, seeing that we could not converse. Perhaps you might search the Castle Training Yard? He was performing some finger exercises before he left, as if he were warming up to train."

"I will try that, thank you, Larin."

"Of course, my lady." Old Larin bowed dutifully, but then stiffened back up straight as a thought came to the forefront of his mind. "My lady, if I may speak freely?" Zelda tilted her head slightly, intrigued by his request.

"You may." Larin's lips thinned before beginning.

"Will there be something done about his night terrors?"

"Night terrors?" Zelda asked hesitantly.

"Yes, my lady. I'm afraid he woke several people last night, screaming. They had to wake me to unlock his door to check on him, but when I entered he was still locked in a restless sleep. I thought to approach the topic with him at breakfast, but he brushed it aside." Larin shifted uncomfortably relaying the information to her. "If he continues to wake the others in the middle of the night, I'm afraid I must implore that he be moved somewhere his night terrors won't affect the other servants."

"I see," Zelda aired, trying her best to not show the pain and worry in her voice. "I knew partially that he had trouble sleeping, but I did not expect it to this degree. I will see if there is something I can do."

"Thank, Princess Regent. I apologize that I had to bring it up with you, but since he answers directly to you and the Queen, I had no other superior to turn to."

"No, there's no need to apologize. You did exactly what you should have done. Thank you for your thoughtfulness." Zelda smiled kindly, which seemed to put Larin's discomfort to rest. With one last thanks, and a bow, the old butler excused himself, and slipped off through a servant's door. After Zelda gathered her thoughts, she set off in a wide gait to the Castle Training Yard, which was usually empty except for when Zelda used it. Before he passed, her father used to visit the yard regularly to practice and stay in touch with his swordsmanship, but ever since he died, Zelda had been the only member of the Royal Family to spend any time there to refine her swordplay and archery.

Now that she thought on it, she felt quite eager to show off her new skills to Link.

 _I bet he would like that,_ she mused with a beaming grin. _He said that I was fierce like the First Descendant. I bet he likes a fierce woman._ With a new-found vigor, Zelda increased her pace, adjusting her sword belt around her shapely waist, and narrowed her eyes with a determined look. At her unusually fast pace, Zelda exited the exterior doorway that led to the Castle Training Yard within a few minutes. Sure enough, as Larin had suggested, she stumbled upon Link, who was firing his crossbow at a number of straw targets opposite of him. She paused for a minute and observed him from under the shade of the covered walkway without his knowing. She expected that he would have worn his light blue Champion's Tunic, but he instead chose a much darker colored tunic fit for rough travel, and blending in with the environment. In addition to this, he wore a hood that was pulled back, and around his belt hung a short dagger, and the strange claw device she had seen him use to fend off his darkling.

Zelda did not see the Goddess Sword on his person, but after scanning the area nearby, she spotted it leaning dormant against a weapons rack. Her attention was pulled back to Link as she heard the rattling of his crossbow.

Link took aim, and fired. With the same accuracy he displayed when he hunted down his darkling, his bolt met its mark dead center and made a satisfying thump noise as it drove into the soft canvas cover straw. Without taking his eyes off the target, he brought the crossbow down, and rested the foot stirrup on the pavement, and pinned it down with his boot. He bent down and grabbed onto the string, using his palms more than his fingers to draw the cord back, and locked it into place. It pained Zelda to see him struggle so awkwardly with the motion, as he clearly was fuming with gloomy frustration. Once a new bolt was loaded, he took aim and fired once more, yet again meeting his mark with respectable accuracy, which only seemed to soothe his frustration slightly.

"I'm glad to see you found a way to make up for your injuries," Zelda said coolly. Link's head snapped around lightning quick, and he instantly stiffened to attention before bowing deeply. Zelda chuckled easily, and walked out to the center of the courtyard to speak closer to her Appointed Knight. "You know, when no one's around, you don't have to act so proper," she teased. However, Link's sharp eyes only grew sharper, clearly disagreeing. From his back pocket he produced a small notepad and pencil, and began to jot down his reply.

'It's _habit. Besides, still have my duty to uphold, my lady.'_

"Well, then at least stop feeling like its necessary to write 'my lady' every time," she said easily. "There's no need to waste precious space on your paper." His lips thinned a little as he contemplated her appeal with a brooding expression.

' _Just don't tell anyone.'_

"Really Link," she laughed. "Why would I ever tell anyone such an inconsequential thing?" His eyes narrowed again, signaling his seriousness. Zelda let a moment of well-humored silence pass before she smiled again. "Fine. But I will require payment for my secrecy."

' _What kind of payment?'_ he wrote frantically.

"Answers. Answers to a question I'm convinced you won't like."

' _Go ahead and tell everyone I dared to not address you as 'my lady.''_ He tore of his note with as much seriousness as he could muster, but she could tell by the way he wavered when she smiled up at him that he was suppressing a lighter attitude.

"Link. I'm serious," she finally said, allowing her smile to drop to match her voice. His eyebrows furrowed with her change of tone.

' _Apologies. As you wish.'_

"Perhaps you would like to sit?" she asked, gesturing to a wooden bench on the far side of the yard. Link nodded with acquiescence, gesturing for her to lead. She sat down first.

"You can sit too," Zelda said, seeing that Link was still standing, equal parts stoic and timid. After a brief pause, he sat, as if he were obeying a command. Zelda sighed heavily, longing for a day that she would not have to practically order him to do such simple things such as sitting with her, eating with her, so on and so forth. _At least we're making progress. Start with the small things, right?_

' _You seem very strong today. Are you able to recover quicker from over exertion now?'_

"I suppose so," Zelda chimed. "I guess my powers are like any muscle. You have to train and push it regularly to grow stronger. I believe you told me something along those lines before; about testing your limits when you have the freedom to grow stronger." Something akin to a chuckle emanated from Link's chest.

' _I remember.'_ There was a line break on his note. ' _Glad to hear it.'_ Link observed Zelda with a thoughtful eye, eventually drifting down to the sword on her hip, which furrowed his brows with concern.

"I've been practicing ever since you… I decided that I should be able to rise to any occasion. I was a bit rusty, since the last time I used a sword was when my father would train me as a young girl, but I think I've come a far way." Zelda grinned slightly. "Perhaps we could practice together?" She asked it, expecting for Link to give an impassive answer, or excuse, but what she saw was merely a strange tinge of pain in his eyes… _Shame?_ she wondered. _But why?_

' _I'm sorry.'_

"For what?" Zelda aired adamantly.

' _That you've had to resort to defending yourself like this. That was my job, but I failed.'_

"Link, don't be ridiculous. I wanted to take up a sword. Even if all that mess had never happened, I can confidently say that I would have done the same thing, even if you protested. Right now, with Ganondorf and his forces on the loose, we can't let any silly preconceptions and ideas get in our way, okay?" Zelda was referring to more than using a sword that time. "We have to be ready for anything. Which gives us all the more reason to train."

It appeared Link could not argue with her logic, so he nodded with some reluctance.

"Now, to my questions." Link shifted uncomfortably on the bench, but nodded his consent. "I spoke with Larin this morning… He told me about your trouble sleeping." Link stiffened completely as he began scribbling on his notepad, halting her question.

' _My_ _apologies. It won't happen again,'_ he wrote trying to mask his emotion.

"No, no, it wasn't like that," Zelda said quietly and gently. "Link… I was concerned for you. You ancestor said that you had trouble with nightmares, but I didn't know how bad they were… I want to help you in any way I can."

' _He wrote that? I don't recall reading that part.'_ He began writing another note as soon as he showed her the first. ' _Thank you for your concern. Really! But I will handle it. Its all in my head anyways.'_

"Pray, tell me how you're going to magically deal with it?"

' _I don't know yet. I'll think of something. It's not every night. At least not that bad.'_ Zelda could see the discomfort he was trying to hide behind his eyes.

"Link, please," she pleaded earnestly, heart beating with sorrow for her knight. "I can help you."

' _How?'_ he asked with a standoffish glance. Zelda could sense the tension in his mind, and she desperately sought to relieve it.

"You can start by telling me about them; about the nightmares. What happens in them, who's in them, so on." Link's knee began to bounce anxiously, and the bench started to creak as he put his weight onto his hands to lift himself from the seat. Zelda reached out and grabbed his arm, dissuading him from standing. After a deep sigh, he took to writing again.

' _I can't. Please don't make me try.'_ He looked away as soon as he handed her the notebook, rubbing his face with his trembling fingers.

"Link you can. I've already read about everything that happened. _He_ can't hurt you here. Not if I'm around. Link, you can tell me. I can guarantee that it is kept private, if that's what you're worried about."

' _I'm not ready. Let this one pass.'_

"Link, you don't have to do this alone. I'm here for you." Link chose not to respond, so Zelda softened her voice even further, almost to a whisper. "That's what friends do. We help each other. I know I can never truly empathize with what you've been through, but I've seen death… I've felt pain… I know what its like to wake up in the middle of the night, bawling your eyes out, feeling the same pain and suffering as if it had just happened. When my father died I dreamt about him almost every night, when your darkling attacked me I slept with a knife under my pillow, terrified knowing that I would never have the strength to fight it, thinking it was you. The fear ate away at me since then… Until you came back to me, and showed me the truth. Until you saved me. Like you always do." Link looked up from the ground and for a brief moment his eyes locked with hers, and welled with sentiment. Zelda placed a comforting hand on top of his, surprised to find that he did not pull away, except to finally write his response.

' _Can it wait? I just need a little more time. I promise I will tell you someday, one way or another.'_ There was a newfound calmness and sincerity in his eyes that made Zelda's heart swell. ' _A friend's promise?'_ His new note made her heart swell even more than before.

"Okay," Zelda finally relented. "But when you do, don't hold anything back. We're a team, I need your help, and you need mine." Link nodded slowly, inhaling, and exhaling methodically until the muscles in his back loosened. A calm silence fell on their private conversation for quite some time, until Link began writing.

' _Did my darkling hurt you? I heard what the charges were…'_

"No," Zelda said reassuringly, which released all the tension in his face, although she could sense the heat of her own rising as she thought back to how good it felt to press her lips against his, the way her body brushed against his… That is until the moment was ruined by… _No,_ she reminded herself. _That was not the real him._ "The guards entered before he was able to do anything." Link exhaled deeply with relief.

' _Well. He's dead now. I hope.'_

"You hope?" Zelda asked timidly.

' _No body was found. That means the corrupt goddesses got their hands on him. I fear Ganondorf will be able to bring him back. In fact, I'm counting on it.'_

The revelation sent a shiver down Zelda's spine. Link looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

"I guess only time will tell," Zelda said forebodingly. "What will we do if he does turn up again?"

' _Kill him. Burn the body.'_

"Sounds simple enough."

' _Easier written than done.'_

"Well, you did a fine job of it last time. And on that topic, I'm sorry I knocked you away with my powers. If I had known…" Link shook his head, displaying his understanding with soft eyes.

' _What's the plan now?'_ he wrote down with an intelligent expression.

"By the look on your face, I think you already have a few ideas lined up." Link nodded. "What do _you_ think we should do? After we get you to MiarindÍl of course."

' _I planned on taking Drodvaltol with us, finish what I started last winter. Maybe from that we can learn how to turn the Goddess Sword back into the Master Sword.'_

"What about the Spirit of the Hero? Do you have any idea what we're going to do about that?" Zelda asked. Link paused and sighed, listlessly looking at the ground beneath his feet, and then shrugged his shoulders unknowingly. "Perhaps that is something we can learn more about from Drodvaltol."

' _Perhaps. Do you feel strong enough to travel?'_

"Yes, I do, but we must wait a day more… The guards that died escorting me to the southern front are being given to their families for burial today in the evening. I've decided that I will attended the ceremony." Zelda's heart sunk as the memories of the death she had seen flashed before her mind's eye, but she maintained her composure, and continued. "It's the least I can do to show them the honor they deserve for protecting me. They served our kingdom well, as all of our soldiers have."

Link nodded solemnly, eventually becoming lost in thought. A long silence settled between them, so Zelda just sat and observed the soft spring clouds above them, letting the warm noon sun wash over her body. In the closed off courtyard, usually the breeze could not easily pass through, but on this day, it was strong enough to supply an occasional refreshing breath of air, which brushed against her face and hair. She focused on the sensation a while longer, letting the soothing silence put her heart and soul to rest, until finally she inhaled one last deep and calming breath and returned her eyes to Link.

He was still lost in thought, and absentmindedly flexed his fingers open and closed.

"Have you tried wielding a sword again? Even a training one?" Zelda asked, breaking the long silence and solemn mood. Link shook his head. "Well, lets give it a shot," she declared, hopping to her feet, placing her hands on her hips, and smiled. "I'd like to at least take the chance at beating you while I have to opportunity. Once you get your full grip back, I'm afraid it will be hopeless endeavor." Despite Link's effort to hide it, a grin stretched across his face.

 _Gotcha!_

Link stood to his feet and walked to the nearby weapons rack, and grabbed two training swords. After removing the short sword from her waist, she took the training sword Link handed to her and began to feel the balance and weight in her hand. Link did the same, although he was constantly adjusting his grip, trying to find his strongest spot. He nodded when he was ready, and they bowed to one another ―being the one and only acceptable instance that royalty would bow to a subordinate― and took their stances.

Zelda weighed her odds. She knew that while Link's grip suffered horribly from his past injuries, and he longer had the Spirit of the Hero helping him, he was arguably one of the most intelligent and quick-thinking fighters in the Royal Guard. He did beat her father after all. It would be foolish of her to not expect that he would find a way to defeat her simply by out maneuvering, or out witting her. At that moment, despite the leanness of his muscles, and well-cut physique, she could very easily knock his sword from his hand with a flick of her wrist. However, he knew that already, as he set into a slow defensive circular motion and waited for her to attack first.

His eyes observed every inch of her stance, calculating, inspecting, planning, but she did not let the intensity of his gaze distract her. Or at least, she tried to ignore the way his eyes were quite captivating and handso ̶

She realized her mistake the moment he lunged forward, and in two quick maneuvers, glanced her sword to the side and brought the tip of his blade just below her chin.

She cursed her poor performance. She had let her attraction distract her, and judging by the faint glimmer in his eye, he knew it too. She steeled her resolve, and they took their stances again. This time she focused not on his eyes, but the practiced movement of his body, before flinging herself into aggressive action. He did not stop her swing with the blunt of his blade, but instead he angled his sword downward, so that her blade merely glanced off with as little effort as possible. She recovered from the failed attempt and blocked one of his quick slashes. It was a weak attack, but it was fast and well placed.

No doubt it would have ended in her defeat if he had his full strength.

At that point, he primarily focused on whittling down her weak spots with quick jabs and slashes, while avoiding her stronger rebuttals. As they fought on, Zelda noticed that most of his advantage came from his footwork, as it often got him out of trouble. With that in mind, she began trying to disrupt his light steps, which certainly helped her cause, but after a swift change in pace, he parried her sword away, and brought his sword up, winning him the second duel.

They smiled at one another. _At least it's a friendly competition._

With her feet still well placed, Zelda set on the advance again, hoping to use her strength of grip against him, and began striking in ways that he would have to rely on the use of his fingers. After trading a few more hits, Zelda finally found luck and managed to hook her guard with his, and twisted the blade out of his grasp far too easily. Almost embarrassingly easy. She brought her blade inches away from his chest, and shot a thin smile up at him.

"Not exactly fair, but I have to take my victories where I can," she teased with a hint of pride.

They continued this routine for a few more fights, which began to steadily teeter into Zelda's favor. She noticed on the sixth round that began to stretch his fingers uncomfortably, as if they were in pain, but he insisted that they continue. And so, they fought again, resulting in a resounding victory for Zelda, although she did not feel the same pride as she had earlier. His performance was growing weaker with each round, and he began to grow frustrated; not because he was losing more often than not, but because of his inability to fight properly. He grimaced a little as he scooped up his sword from the ground, and tested his grip, frustration berating his expression. Pity struck at her heart seeing him so burdened by the pain in his fingers which brought his skill as a swordsman down to her level. It was not like his mindset was wrong, or that his knowledge of swordplay had disappeared, it was because he had to change every strategy, every well practiced technique, just to account for his lack of grip, which made fighting a real problem for him.

"We can take a quick break, Link," Zelda said kindly. He smiled, but waved away her concern, and took his stance once more, transitioning to a two-handed grip. Judging from the way he bounced on the balls of his feet, he was about to take a more aggressive approach, so she adjusted her strategy accordingly, and readied herself.

As she had anticipated, he flew into action, and Zelda knew she was in trouble right away. She barely managed to block two attacks, and he was coming in to strike with his third, but as he took one step forward, and rotated his foot, he suddenly cried out and plummeted to the ground, clutching his thigh.

"Link!" she shouted, instantly dropping to her knees by his side, and grabbed onto his arm. "Is it the shrapnel?" Link nodded with gritted teeth as he sucked in air trying not to yelp in pain. With sputtering breaths and grunts he eventually propped himself up with one arm, and slowly stretched out his leg. With his free hand he began to massage the side of his thigh until the pain finally passed and his breathing returned to normal.

"I think that's enough for today, don't you think?" Zelda asked, placing her hand on his shoulder. Link seemed to agree without protest, and took to nodding readily. "But I must say, for all the damage they did to you, you are performing exceptionally well," she said, trying to bolster his spirits. "I think Ganondorf intended you to never be able to use a sword again, but you have proven him otherwise. And when MiarindÍl heals your fingers and leg, you'll be right back to normal. Strong as ever."

All Link had to say was an unsure shrug of the shoulders.

After another minute or so of rest, Link eventually began to stand up on his own, but Zelda insisted that she helped. He tried to wave her away, but the moment he began to put weight on his other leg, she felt his hand on her shoulder grip tighter, and bear weight down on her for balance. Just by looking at his expression of discomfort, she knew he felt like he was being presumptuous to accept her help; being the princess and all.

"Like I said," she thought to tease his overbearing sense of propriety. "Friends help each other out. As far as I'm concerned, we're not Princess and Knight, but two Hylians who need the other for support. Literally and figuratively. You carried me to safety plenty of times, so its my turn to help carry you. Understand?"

His wiry expression disagreed, but Zelda laughed it off. That was one good thing about his inability to talk. He could not verbally disagree and say some nonsense about 'proper etiquette,' and what was to 'be expected.' She understood that there was a time and a place for such things, but he always took it too far. This was her chance to prove his foolishness, and win him over to her side. And so far, things seemed to be going well. He promised he would eventually speak to her about what haunted his sleep, and now he was leaning on her for support for a change.

 _The one good thing,_ she mused.

Perhaps his ancestor ―their ancestor― was right. Now that his darkling was exorcised from his mind, he was beginning to see things more clearly. He was beginning to see he was not alone… Or at least she hoped he was.

"How does you balance feel now?" she asked after he had a moment to test his weight. He stretched his leg a little, then placed his foot firmly back on the ground and bent his knees. After doing that, he took a few shuffling steps, then nodded, and let go of her shoulder. From there, he limped slightly as he walked, but otherwise he seemed okay. After retrieving his notebook and pencil he began to write a short message.

' _I'm impressed with your swordplay. Wish I could be a better sparring partner.'_

"Thank you," she said with a fluttering heart. "I did learn from my father after all. And don't worry, you gave me quite the challenge." She squeezed his arm to reassure him, and smiled. His own smile matched hers, but it quickly disappeared, as if something solemn came to his mind. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but a low growling noise emanated from Link's stomach, promptly shifting the topic. "Someone's hungry," Zelda said jestingly. Link cringed with embarrassment, which only made her chuckle even more. "Why don't we go eat? Its about time for lunch anyways."

As she expected, his eyebrows furrowed, and he began to write his usual 'excuse.'

"And I'm not taking no for an answer," she said as she grabbed the end of his pencil, halting his writing. "I'm the Princess Regent. I can say with who and when I eat. Think of it as a formal invitation." He seemed unconvinced, so she pressed on. "We've eaten with our Officers before, you know. Its not unheard of for soldiers to eat with the Royal Family."

' _I'm not an officer.'_

"And I have to the power to make you one, if it will make you feel better" Link sighed the sigh of a losing fighter, and finally acquiesced.

' _Not necessary.'_

"Don't look so glum about it," she teased, before leaning forward slightly and whispered: "Besides. We have sweet cakes." His eyes lit up in a boyish manner, and the faintest of suppressed grins stretched across his mouth, and she swore his tongue almost licked his lip. It was at that moment that Zelda knew she had ensnared him. There was no denying to power of food-bribery.

 _Gotcha,_ she chimed to herself for the second time that day.

"I figured you deserved a treat, since you missed your own birthday after all," she added with a crooked grin. "Now go clean up, and meet me at the Dining Hall in an hour. Don't worry about dressing up. Your Champion's Tunic will do just fine. And bring your notebook."

Link bowed before watching her leave. As she did so, she peaked over her shoulder once to gauge his response. He scratched his forehead nervously before turning to gather his things with a slight limp.

* * *

Link splashed cool water from his basin onto his face. His skin felt hot with nervousness. He had never eaten with Zelda like this before. Not in such a formal manner. He ate with her in Damel Forest, and in Kakariko Village, but both those instances were very rare cases, and she had insisted, but he had never even dreamt of dining with her _in_ the Castle. He tried to argue, but simply could not tell her no. Her logic, her smile, the temptation of sweet cakes. He caved in on her request, and now he was paying the price. He cursed himself. After drying his face off he looked into the small mirror hanging on his dresser, took a few critical glances, and then realized what was off.

 _The beard!_

He had considered shaving that morning, but he thought that the beard made him slightly less recognizable, which made it easier to pass through Castle Town without drawing to much attention to himself. However, now that he was going to dine with the Princess _and_ the Queen, such a state of impropriety was unacceptable. He applied ample amounts of cream onto his face, wet his razor, and began to shave away the short beard that had masked his jaw and chin with as much stillness his fingers could muster.

While he made quick work of it, his trembling fingers had caused a rather unpleasant little cut right under the left side of his jaw. He washed away what he could, and then applied pressure to the area, and waited impatiently. His nervously heavy heartbeat was not helping his cause, as blood coursed through his veins, but after a few minutes, it clotted up and stopped bleeding.

 _Dammit._

Of course, the mark stood out like a sore thumb, turning red and inflamed. He was going to be an embarrassment himself, and to the Princess, but maybe then it would teach her a lesson; don't invite commoners to lunch. Even if you consider them your friend… Or more than a friend.

He tried to forget the latter statement.

Realizing that no amount of fussing would help now, Link finally accepted his fate, and made one last adjustment to his Champion's Tunic, ignoring the sore bruises that plagued his body from imprisonment. Luckily, Zelda had seemed to have forgotten all about the welts that swelled just beneath his shirt, thus avoiding having to explain that the kingdom's own soldiers did it to him. That was something he was determined not to bother her already busy mind with. He could forgive, and forget for her sake.

He hung the Goddess Sword around his back, as he would have normally done with the Master Sword, and was loathed to feel the weight. He missed the lightness of the Sword, and the soft ringing song it sang to him, but there was nothing to be done about it at that moment. That was an issue for tomorrow, because today he had another daunting task; not make a fool of himself.

By his standard, he already had, just by accepting her request without putting up more of a fight, but it was too late to change now. At least it was better than the alternative. Eating prison food was about as appealing as it sounded. As he walked, or more accurately limped to the Dining Hall, notebook tucked against his side, he mentally prepared himself for what was about to come. For once he praised the fact that he could not speak. Writing gave him a chance to really think about what he was going to say before his idiotic tongue betrayed him.

 _Just relax,_ he told himself, trying to compose his expression, which he finally did. _This is the first step. Friendship ―only friendship― is the goal. Be kind, but not too kind. Smile, but don't smile too much. Don't give the wrong impression._

He feared he had failed in that regards already, but she had not brought anything up, so he still had time to correct it. He was determined to make it work out for both of their sakes. If he played the cards right, he could befriend her without leading her on, and without being forced to reveal his 'Shame' as an end-all tactic. Although, it would not be long until she heard the whispers the guards were spreading.

Perhaps it was inevitable.

His heart sank. He never wanted it to come to this. In a perfect world, nothing would hold him back, and he would allow his heart to pour out to her, and he could be hers, and she his, but the world would never be perfect. He had already accepted his fate of solitude. Even if he did have that what was required of a fertile husband, he would never, and could never be accepted.

The kingdom, aside from a select few, despised him. No one would ever accept him as a consort, much less a King, including himself. He had no experience, land, or wealth. He lacked the leadership. He lacked the wisdom. He lacked every key aspect required for that kind of life. Zelda deserved better than that. This was the truth that had become evermore clear in his mind earlier that morning. The thought had always been there, ever since he had been estranged from her when they were fifteen, but now he felt like he was finally beginning to make his peace with it.

Now that there was hope for friendship. He would die happy as her friend.

And then his mind drifted back to his Shame. _Maybe it would be better if she heard it from me… I'd rather it from my own lips, than some twisted lie of a guard._ He took a deep breath and decided. He would wait for a little longer. If MiarindÍl could restore his voice, he would tell her at the best moment that was presented. If she could not restore his voice, then he would still tell her next best moment. Zelda deserved to know. She deserved to move on from that which could never be. No matter how much it tore away at his heart. He had been selfish to keep it bottled up that long anyways. If he had any sense of integrity, he would have told her the moment she started batting her eyes at him that morning. However, he simply did not have the stomach for it at that time.

It just felt so… _right,_ the way she talked to him. Touched him. He tried to fight it, but failed.

His train of thought broke as he entered the main corridor that led to the Dining Hall. Two Royal Guards were posted outside the doors, but Link did not see the Princess, or the Queen. _They must already be inside._ He watched anxiously from afar as a servant entered the hall carrying a platter of food that tantalized his nose. Whatever it was, it smelled like heaven.

As the door swung open, Link caught a glimpse of the Queen sitting at the head of the table, so he began to walk forward and presented himself in front of the entry. He could feel his heart beat against his chest, and he swallowed the thick saliva in his throat. Fidgeting was not something he did often, but this was an instance that his well-disciplined attention could not prevent his fingers from curling.

"Enjoying the Queen's food and wine now, huh, Half-man?" One of the guards sneered in almost a whisper. "I don't care what they say. I still don't trust you. Everything is just too convenient if you ask me. Who's to say your little escapade the other day isn't another deception?"

Link steeled his expression, determined to not give the guard one ounce of satisfaction.

"Still acting like you can't talk?" the other guard asked. Link allowed no change to come over his face. The guard merely scoffed at his lack of response. "We're watching you, Half-man. None of the guards trust you."

 _Tell me something I don't know._

The guard's eyes narrowed, and he grunted his disgust. "Well. Get in there." Link stepped forward to open the door. "Looks like you can't even handle a razor right, oaf," the guard mocked, pointing to the cut under his jaw as he passed, only ceasing his cackling the moment the door opened.

"Master Link," the Queen greeted him personably, as he bowed, heart still beating nervously. "Please have a seat over there." He obeyed her command, conscious of every nerve pounding step, trying his best to hide the limp he had obtained from his sparring session with Zelda. After removing the Goddess Sword from his back, he cautiously sat opposite of the Princess, and rested his sword against the arm of his chair.

"You look very sharp with a clean shave," Zelda commented as her emerald eyes toyed with his head. Link smiled and dipped his head in thanks for the compliment, hoping to ignore the rising heat of his face and chest. He felt embarrassed to think about it, but after all the horrors he had been through, it felt borderline ridiculous that something so pleasant and simple as a compliment would make him squirm underneath his skin. This was a whole new type of torture. And then he glanced down at his plate, and his heart plummeted to his stomach.

 _Who in the world needs that many forks!?_

Which one was he supposed to even start with? He had been trained how to fight, hunt, and kill, not how to eat with a noble's mannerisms at a 'simple' lunch with three forks and knives while sitting across from the Princess of Hyrule, and to the left of the Queen of Hyrule. He felt like a foolish, bumbling child in their presence, as if he had never felt confident in his entire life. Luckily, it seemed neither of them noticed his discomfort as they glanced to one another with shared smiles.

Or maybe they did notice, and they were trying not to laugh at him…

Either way, it made him worry he was already disappointing them. He pushed the thought away from his mind and tried to refocus on what was important. Now that they were all sitting, the servants placed their plates of food in front of them. Link waited to see what forks and knives his hosts went for first, before matching their choices. The first bite into the cooked Hyrulean Bass made his mouth water with satisfaction, which eased his discomfort a little.

"Zelda tells me you two sparred earlier," the Queen said after finishing her first bite. Link nodded, stopping his chewing awkwardly.

"He said I did quite well," Zelda answered with a gleam in her eye. "In fact, he said that he was downright impressed. Although I'm afraid we hurt his thigh. The shrapnel in his leg must have twisted unfavorably."

"Ah," the Queen aired easily. "That explains the limp."

 _Dammit._

Link quickly opened his notebook and penciled in a short reply. _'Just need to stretch some more, your grace.'_

"Don't hesitate to see the physician if you need any elixirs for the pain. To hold you off until you two reach MiarindÍl."

' _Thank you, your grace.'_ Link left a blank line and then began again. _'Have you been in contact with MiarindÍl?'_

"We haven't had time, and honestly the area is quite dangerous right now." Link's quizzical expression seemed to be enough to key them in on his question.

"I suppose we should get you up to date on everything that's happened in the last seven months," the Queen said after finishing a second bite, and sipped from her glass before beginning her long tale in a deep and serious tone. "Not long after you were kidnapped, Ganondorf's forces invaded from the Necluda Sea, and took over Hateno Village. Unlike Tarrey Town, they have not burned the village, but instead they have shored up, and held the area captive so that they can supply themselves with food from the fertile farm land, and fishing ports. We've managed to establish communication with undercover operatives who report to us regularly, and from them we have learned that most of the villagers are alive, but have been kept under careful watch, and forced into labor to supply the Horde with food." The Queen paused to eat, so Zelda took over.

"Since the invasion, we've been locked in a stalemate at Fort Hateno, which has been blockaded, fortified, and reinforced from our own troops, and the Gerudo. This stalemate has led to Ganondorf's forces to spread a wider net in the Necluda region, up to the border of Faron. However, for now, they seem content with staying put, but at any moment they could decide to push on into Faron."

' _Is MiarindÍl in danger, your grace?'_ Link wrote with furrowed eyebrows.

"We're all in danger in these dark times," the Queen said sagely. "However, as of this moment, I believe MiarindÍl is safe. There is strong magic protecting Damel Forest, and Zelda has worked to fortify that barrier."

' _Barrier, your grace?'_ Link asked. A proud grin stretched across the Queen's lips as she looked her daughter to explain.

"My powers have grown in the recent months," Zelda started. "I have been able to create magical barriers on our fronts to dissuade the specters from getting involved. It was a skill I unfortunately learned far too late, but it has helped prevent the Horde from pushing inland anymore." Zelda paused for a beat to drink, and then continued. "It takes a lot of energy and time to create the wards, and the specters can still break through if they are determined enough, but usually it gives me enough time to reach the front, fend them off, and repair the damage."

Link nodded slowly, as he absentmindedly took a large bite from his plate. On second thought, it was to large of a bite, but he realized it too late, so he took to chewing as fast as he could to conceal his slip up. At least he had not done anything horribly embarrassing yet… Yet.

"Not much has happened since then, regarding Necluda," the Queen began. "But we've have some bad luck up north in Akkala." A silence set over the dinner table at the mention of the death place of the late King. "After nearly three months of inactivity at the Citadel, the corrupt goddesses reinvaded with a large force, swept through, and conquered the outpost."

"I arrived too late to stop them," Zelda sighed. "However, with the help of the Gorons and Zoras, we managed to blockade them from the Lanayru Wetlands, resulting in another stalemate. It was not long after that happened that I learned to create the barriers, which halted all enemy progress indefinitely. It seems they're rather incapable of advancing without the help of the specters."

Link nodded again, musing over the countless questions he wanted to ask. He thought back on their words about Hateno Village, and how the majority of the villagers were still alive. Could his mother's family still be living, somewhere out there? The overwhelming desire for the need to know invaded his mind, causing his eyes to grow listless as he was plunged deeper into thought.

The only family he ever had was his father, but he was dead now, for almost a year. Losing him had left a void in his heart that he tried to fill with purpose and duty, but in retrospect, all he really did was distract his mind from the pain. However, this new prospect of having living relatives stirred up old emotion, old longing. It scared him knowing that he might have more to lose now, and yet he was determined to seek out the truth.

' _Have we tried sneaking the Hateno Villagers out?'_ he wrote down thoughtfully.

"We have tried," the Queen said melancholily. "With little success… It ended up costing more lives than we saved. We have not tried since then." Link sighed at this news, listlessly looking down at his plate.

"You want to find your mother's family, don't you?" Zelda suddenly asked after a prolonged silence. Link was a little taken aback by her perceptiveness, but looking up into her calm eye brought an unexpected peace over him, and he nodded slowly.

"How will you know it is them?" the Queen asked, matching the tone of her daughter.

Link hesitated to answer, although he did not know why. He thought that maybe it was because the conversation had become too personal, but he could not say for sure. Either way, he finally made his choice, and began to dig under his collar, and pulled on the necklace that hid underneath his tunic. He bundled the leather cord in his hand, and then placed it in the center of the table for the Queen and Princess to see.

' _It was my mother's necklace. I'm hoping they will recognize it, if they're out there, your grace.'_ The Queen and Princess leaned back into their chairs after observing the carved necklace with pensive eyes.

"Well. I'm afraid there is not much we can do now, but I promise that we will try whatever we can. Liberating Hateno is our chief concern right now, so have peace knowing that our goals are in line with one another. You and the Princess may join us on the southern front as soon as you conclude your business in Faron." Link nodded readily and wrote down a brief thanks after hanging the necklace back around his neck.

Perhaps this lunch was not going as bad as he thought it was going to.

With that in mind, he doubled his efforts to match the mannerisms of Zelda, who took elegant and small bites from her plate with as much ease and as breathing. Link began cutting away smaller portions of his own food, and removed his elbows from the table after seeing her glance at them knowingly. Given the intelligible look in her eyes, she knew he was following her lead, and began to perform her tasks with a little more deliberation, so that he could catch on easier.

A meeting of their eyes spoke volumes.

His silent thank you was received, and her silent welcome was returned. Her ability to communicate through mere expressions was astounding, and quite frankly insatiably attractive, but Link excommunicated that last thought from his mind. Attraction would only make things harder, and he suffered enough as it was. For the rest of their meal, Link contently sat and listened to the Princess and Queen speak on matters both big and small, primarily about the running of Hyrule Castle.

That is, until the sweet cakes were finally brought out. His attention span suffered horribly after that.

As he snuck in one last mouthful of the fluffy, sweet dessert ―and perhaps another into his pocket― the topic of the Castle Legionaries peaked his interest, so Zelda began to delve into details about how she set up recruiting centers in Castle Town to encouraged able-bodied men to contribute to the war effort, without having to induct them into a military career.

That was another thing that he found overwhelmingly attractive. Her resourcefulness and ingenuity were no new revelations to him, but in his time away, it seemed as if her common traits had well exceeded what they were before. She certainly had grown in seven months. She was smarter, stronger, and even fiercer.

Denying her would be harder than ever.

"I had a thought last night about what we might do about the Goddess Sword," the Queen cut in, pulling Link from his distracted mind once again. "I believe that it would be wise to visit the Great Deku Tree. He is the oldest living being in this land that I know of, and the guardian of the Master Sword. Surely he would know what to do."

"Of course," Zelda declared with a hopeful grin. "I cannot believe I did not think of that. Perhaps he might know what to do about the Spirit of the Hero as well."

"Perhaps," the Queen answered. "We will see soon enough. Until then," she continued with a much more somber voice. "We must prepare for the Royal Guards' funeral." The Queen removed the napkin from her lap and placed it on her empty plate before standing from her chair. Link rushed to his feet, per protocol, briefly wavering as the weight of his body came to rest back down on his leg. His face singed with embarrassment, but they seemed to pay little mind to his fumbling.

"I have a few things to attend to," the Queen said as she casually strolled to the door. "You two are free to do as you wish, just make sure you're ready on time. A detail of escorts has already been formed, so don't worry about that Master Link. Just come armored up, and ready to go."

Link bowed graciously as the Queen left. He sighed with relief. Everything had gone relatively smoothly, and he only made a fool of himself a handful of times.

"You did an excellent job," Zelda said with a squinty-eyed smile. "We'll make a gentleman out of you yet," she teased. "But don't think I didn't see you sneak that extra sweet cake into your pocket."

Link froze, ashamed of his childish actions. He began to remove the sweet cake from his pocket.

"It's all right," she laughed. "I think you deserve it." Zelda leaned forward slightly and whispered mischievously. "Go ahead and take as many as you want. I didn't see anything." Link's temperature shot through the roof when she winked at him, her being quite amused with her _playful_ spirit.

This was not good. Not one bit. He cursed his stupidity.

Zelda's playful attitude quickly shifted into concern as Link's own expression turned downward and furrowed worriedly. That seemed to put a damper on things, and she returned to her more serious sense of bearing.

* * *

The way his armor brushed against his body made his bruises hurt more than before, but he ignored it as he vigilantly walked behind the Princess up the gravel path, along with the Queen and a whole squadron of other Royal Guards. None of the guards passed anything more that a look of distrust and disgust his way, but he tried his best to ignore that as well.

Eight coffins in total, Link counted. Eight brave souls lost because of his darkling.

All the cheery moods from that morning had completely vanished now, as the families of the lost soldiers gathered around on the hill top to pay their last respects before they were given to each household for burial. Link never knew any of them in life, but a Royal Guard, any Royal Guard, was a sworn brother in service, and so his heart mourned for them, even if they hated him. Countless eyes fell upon him, sharp as daggers, making him feel like the one and only enemy atop that hill.

Even though his charges had been cleared, it was obvious they still blamed him for the deaths of their beloved.

Link took his post under the shade of the nearby tree, just close enough to be a few lunges to his Princess, but far enough away that he would be less obvious to bystanders. They needed time to mourn, not time to hate, and his presence was a clear breach of that idea. Words were not necessary to key him in on this truth. Silence, he found, spoke more truth than any other form of communication.

Zelda, being the perceptive individual she was, noticed all of this as well, but given the gravity of the situation, she did not try to address it with him. She merely offered sympathetic glances, which was more than enough to soothe his restlessness. He felt better knowing that she and the Queen did not blame him.

The ceremony followed that of the traditional soldier's funeral, where the families would offer their last prayers and goodbyes, before observing a long silence of remembrance, and the blessing of a priest. Both the Queen and Princess also gave short, encouraging speeches during this time, commending the Royal Guards for their bravery and sacrifice to protect the Princess Regent, which won the hearts of the familys' over in an instant. They showered them with humbled bows, and promises of absolute dedication.

Link would receive no such appreciation, but he made his peace with it already.

"You should not be here," one crotchety old mother said to him with a vitriol expression on her mourning face. "They say the demon that killed my sweet Joshua came from your very body. From your heart and soul, in your perfect likeness. I doubt you are not much different from _it_ deep down _._ Cursed is your blood, I say. This is your fault."

It stung his heart like venom, but he did not flinch under the metal casing of his helm and armor.

"I pray your bloodline never lives on, for cursed is your blood I say," she spat as one last insult, hoping that it would bring her some peace for the loss of her only son.

 _Well, no need to worry about that. Perhaps that will bring you peace._

The woman's daughter quickly ushered away her haggish mother, offering Link only a harsh glare as recompense. And still, Link never moved an inch, nor turned his gaze. He stood as the lone sentinel, the Knight of Scorn, and accepted the berating, snide remarks, and cold scowls without response, and without outer emotion.

Such was his duty. Such was his responsibility. Blessed would be they day when he could get out of everyone's hair, by means of death or self-exile.

Link's eyes returned to the Princess. She was busy offering her condolences to a tear-swept family. That was good. She had not seen or heard what the old woman had said to him. It was better that way. Zelda had too much to think about as it was, and this would only upset her. It was better that she did not know.

For her sake.


	36. Bra-tava, Elnd Viy

**Authors note:** See the bottom of this chapter for the translation and pronunciation of this chapter. It'll make more sense then.

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-six, Bra-tava, Elnd Viy_

The open air outside of the city filled Link's lungs with serenity. The night before, after the funeral, he accompanied Zelda to the Library, where they scavenged any possibly helpful information about the task ahead of them, and Zelda asked more questions surrounding his capture months prior. The Phantom Realm, the Void, The Spirit of the Hero, all of it they discussed with painfully slow communication.

The topic of the reanimated Leviathan especially brought a rise of fearful excitement to Zelda.

Obviously, it did not bode well for them, but she simply could not deny her scientific mind from grasping at every little detail about the once extinct creature with childlike wonder. They had heard rumors from Gerudo Desert the last winter that the bones of a great creature seemingly disappeared, but until now, the notion had been cast aside as useless information. The War tore everyone's attention away from even the most bizarre occurrences across the land. They prayed the beast would not make a return, but only time would tell.

Another thing left to simmer on the back of their minds. They had more important things to worry about.

To his surprise, and joy, Dan and Liam found him not long after that, and practically begged for forgiveness. They felt ashamed that they had ever doubted him, but he swore on all that was holy he understood completely, and held no ill will against them. Only then had their hearts been put to rest. The two knights insisted that he allow them to buy him dinner and drink for him that night, which he gladly accepted, as long as their meal was held privately at his father's house. Given the tensions between him and the whole of Hyrule Castle and Town, he wanted to avoid public places as much as he could. Zelda seemed slightly disappointed that he was not going to accept her invitation to dinner, but after a silent and swift change of heart, she smiled brightly, and encouraged him to enjoy his well-deserved night of merriment with his few friends before the long trek that loomed over them began.

He had felt equal parts relieved, and disappointed for having to turn her down. He even briefly considered inviting her along, but one quick gut check of his sense of propriety quickly dissuaded that action. How stupid he thought he was to even consider such a foolish idea; the Princess Regent of Hyrule dining in a commoner's house? Friends or not, she was still the Princess.

Dan and Liam tried to persuade Link to eat at the Inn, but after some stern convincing, they had finally acquiesced, and the three set out to Castle Town that night to prepare a hearty meal, and drank together in his late father's shabby dining room. One could only imagine Link's surprise when a knock came at the door mid supper, and entered Eric ―who looked unbelievably older than he remembered― along with Ariel, Angela, and his old Sheikah neighbor, Mrs. Tamlin. Link had felt a little overwhelmed at first, but his heart overflowed with gratitude.

Rest assured, he still had some friends in Hyrule.

Ariel, who spoke to Link with ever graceful familiarity and kindness, keyed him in on Jonathan's wellbeing. Link smiled after hearing he had received another promotion for his brave efforts during the fall of the Citadel. A Staff-Sergeant he was now, leading a small platoon to the north in the Lanayru Wetlands. Ariel had already sent Jonathan a letter explaining that he had been cleared of his charges, and that he was safe.

Link ached to see his best friend once more.

Eric offered his own spouts of information, primarily about the booming blacksmiths trade, making swords and armor for the Crown. He worked day in, day out to help supply the Hyrulean army with sharp steel. Link also gleaned that things were going well between him and Ariel. In fact, they were courting, although they were still too young to marry for a few years longer. However, Eric beamed with happiness nonetheless. If the War did not disturb their lives too much, they would have a bright future to look forward to together.

It put Link's heart at ease.

It had been a good night. A wonderful relief for is ailed mind, until the night came to a close, and sleep beckoned to them all. He slept alone in his father's house that night, so that his night terrors would not disturb the servants. He would have to think of a more permanent solution later, now that he and the Princess were back out onto the road.

That was the new muse that held his attention; what could he do about it?

"That tunic was your ancestor's, correct?" Zelda asked, removing him from thought. Link glanced over to her, her golden hair shimmering in the morning sun, and nodded. He had opted to wear the forest green tunic his ancestor gifted him instead of his Champion's Tunic simply because he felt it helped him blend in with the environment better, and it was a much sturdier material. He left the stocking-like cap in his bag though. It still looked silly to him. He instead wore the hood and mask he bought off the Sheikah trader a nearly a week prior, although for the time being, both were pulled down, revealing his scarred face, and placid blue eyes.

"It suits you well," she added with a kind tone. Link thanked her with a bow of the head before returning his eyes to the road ahead, scanning for any signs of possible threats. Twenty Royal Guards in total surrounded the Princess and Queen. The Queen decided that they would ride together to the south until they would split at the Great Plateau to go their respective ways, Link and the Princess traveling to Damel Forest with a select few men, and the Queen would return to Fort Hateno with the rest.

Link was glad to find that the guards that accompanied them only seemed to despise him slightly.

Not a single word from their lips had been pointed towards him, which was a rather pleasant surprise. Link assumed the Queen had chosen them very specifically for that reason. Perhaps she even gave them a stern lecture. Link did not know quite how he felt about that idea, but he gladly accepted the results.

Drodvaltol, the Faronish prisoner of war, was also with them. He had been moved to the Castle Dungeons before the fall of the Citadel, and kept under careful watch. Link was surprised that Drod greeted him with a strangely friendly, and excited salutations in his native tongue. Apparently, Zelda had seen to it that Drod was beginning to be taught to speak the common language of Hyrule. He was kept at the very back of the convoy, under the strict eyes of the rear guard.

"Did that Gerudo woman ever tell you what the name of that horse is?" Zelda asked, pointing at the reddish-brown colored steed Link rode on. Link paused. Now that she mentioned it, he had no idea what the animal's name was. He decided to give her a nickname for the time being. His choice was a slight change to her namesake, the crimson Loftwing, Ephona.

' _No. But I've decided to call her Epona.'_ Link let go his reins entirely to write his note, but Epona stayed on course without any guidance. That was something Link came to really appreciate about the magnificent beast in the few days he had ridden her. He practically did not even need reins. She always seemed to know exactly where he wanted to go. Despite being raised to pull wagons, she was the most well behaved, intelligent, and responsive mount he had ever ridden.

"She looks like a wonderful horse. I'm sure old Zeno would be jealous," Zelda commented with an easy grin. Link shrugged his shoulders amusedly, and lightly brushed Epona's neck. She nickered with satisfaction, as if to say, 'thank you.' Epona truly was a remarkable happenstance, and a blessing. He made sure to let her know that truth by sneaking her delectably crisp apples whenever he got the chance.

' _Our secret,'_ he would hum internally. She of course could not hear him, but the way she nudged him with her snout after her treat signified her approval. Why he felt the need to keep it a secret, he could not say. Perhaps it was because he knew he was spoiling her, or perhaps he simply wanted something to dote on. Soon she would demand apples as payment just for doing her job, but part of Link found it hard to deny her such an innocent snack.

Do onto those that which you wish to be done to you, Link supposed. However, that was a silly sentiment. She was just a horse, after all. Then again, maybe she would repay him in loyal service.

 _Ah,_ he snapped at himself. _Stay focused. No time for these silly, idle thoughts._

They rode for several hours more until the stopped at the Outpost Garrison for a quick rest. Link sighed with relief, since his thigh was throbbing with pain, but made no outward complaints. After their much-needed noon rest, and a few goodbyes, they split and went their different directions. As always, the Queen wished them the best of luck and encouragement before she remounted her horse gracefully, even despite her ever-advancing age, and rode of with her escorts. Eight knights stayed behind, and took their formation around the Princess. Link rode closely beside her, always keeping a free hand on his crossbow which hung loosely by a leather strap around the horn of his saddle. The further they rode away from civilization, the tenser Link became.

Nothing ever happened, though. They crossed the Bridge of Hylia with little effort, and set their course for the edge of Faron Forest. However, once they finally came within view of the tree line, Link did notice a strange occurrence on its border.

Great thorns blanketed the trees. And not just any old thorn branches. These were branches thicker than his arms and legs. They wove in and out of the trees in a mad sprawl of tangled greenery, bearing sharp red fangs, which looked vicious enough to kill a man. There was no way they could make it through, due to the sheer density of it all. No wonder the Horde had not tried to invade the forest.

"These were here last I came to place the barriers over this forest," Zelda explained. "I was in a rush, so I made no effort to enter, but I have no doubt this is the handiwork of MiarindÍl. I can sense the very magic that courses through their roots." Zelda glanced over to Link and nodded encouragingly. "I'm sure she will let us in."

They pressed on until they came within a few paces of the outermost wall of thorns, and dismounted. The guards set up a defensive formation around them, and awaited their orders. With a silent nod, Zelda stepped forward and placed her hand on one of the bare parts of a thorn branch and closed her eyes, making her presence known. A peace slowly settled over her, signaling that she was indeed in communication with the Care Taker, and by the smile that stretched across her lips, Link knew it was good news.

"Drodvaltol," Zelda said over her shoulder without withdrawing her hand. "Come." The guards in charge of his keeping shifted in their saddles uncomfortably before finally dismounting, and led Drodvaltol to the Princess. "You may let him go," Zelda ordered plainly.

"Princess Regent, are you certain?" one guard asked sternly.

"He will not run, I promise. Let him go." The guards looked to one another uneasily, calculating the risks, before they finally released their iron tight grip on Drod's arms. Zelda beckoned for the Faronite to step forward and place his hand on the thorn branch as she did, which he did with unthreatening gusto. A beaming smile stretched across his lips, and he offered a short snippet of dialog in his own tongue.

The moment his words were spoken, a narrow passageway began to open as the branches of thorns began to peel away through some magic. As if he did not have a worry or fear in the world, Drodvaltol marched into the forest, chains and all, giddy as a child on his birthday. The guards set to chase him down, but Zelda held out her hand, halting them in their tracks.

"It's quite all right," she reassured them. "I don't think he would run away from this forest. Nothing short of dragging him by his chains would get him out now. Leave him be." The guards clearly disagreed, but they did not voice their opposition. Zelda shot Link a smart glance, and then gestured for him to follow her in on foot. After a quick nod, Link grabbed his travel pack hanging on his saddle before obeying, nervous excitement surging through his body. He slung it over his shoulders, carefully avoiding the bruises under his tunic, and then set out to walk with the Princess in a wide gait, taking their first steps past the threshold of the thorn branch wall.

As anyone could expect, the Royal Guards that accompanied them dismounted and began to lead their horses to the forest, but the moment the Princess and her knight were well under the coverage of the trees, the thorns shot back together, closing off the only entry into the forest.

"Princess!" they collectively shouted, drawing their swords as they surged forward to begin hacking away at the overgrown branches. One especially audacious knight ran before the rest, sword raised high, and prepared to slash his way through, but Zelda immediately ordered them to cease.

"Stop!" she yelled with a commanding and confident voice, which was loud enough to make it through the impenetrable barrier between them. "Not a branch shall be harmed, do you understand!?" The contingency of guards screeched to a halt, and lowered their swords obediently, adrenaline still making their hearts beat wildly. "The Care Taker of this forest has seen fit not to trust you it seems. We will be safe in here. Perhaps even safer in here than in Hyrule Castle. Go ahead and make camp, and rest easy. We will return to you soon."

"Princess Regent," one guard pleaded. "Can you not convince this _Care Taker_ that we are amiable knights? We are trustworthy, on our honor, my lady."

"That is not my decision," Zelda explained with a more soothing tone. "This is MiarndÍl's domain. We will do as she pleases. Now make camp, and await further orders. You can sleep easy tonight."

"But who will ensure you are kept safe, my lady?" the guard continued.

"Need I remind you that I have my own weapon, powers, and Appointed Knight with me?" she retorted with the faintest hint of harshness. Link felt a tinge of pride, and perhaps flattery, flare up in his chest as the Princess came to his defense, since his tongue could not do it for him.

"Of course, my lady… Its just that… How can he? He can barely wield a sword properly. I do not think he is capable of the job given to him."

 _Oh, you stupid oaf. You kicked the beehive._

If only they had seen the enraged expression shoot across the Princess' face. Despite his best efforts, Link found it difficult to ignore how amusing the whole situation was, in a strange way. Zelda was just about to open her mouth, no doubt to _very_ sternly lecture the knight for his rather unsavory comment, but Link put a calming hand on her shoulder and shook his head as if to say, 'it's not worth it.' Zelda shot him a crooked brow, but held her tongue, and composed herself before continuing.

"I shall forget your misplaced comment, for your sake," she said forebodingly, biting back the bitterness in her tone. "Master Link is more than capable of keeping me safe. He did save me from the darkling, after all. Now I will hear no more of this." There was a long sigh.

"Yes, my lady. We will be here if you need us."

"Good. Thank you." Zelda glanced at Link and rolled her eyes with frustration before turning on her heel and began to march forward. If Link were honest with himself, the whole petty _disagreement_ seemed to be just that; petty. After a lot of meditating in every moment of peace he had between his release and now, he found it much easier to deal with his shield-brothers sly comments, simply because he was learning to move on. There was no point in lingering on the unchangeable.

That was a lesson he was slowly, but readily learning.

"Come," an excited voice with thick accent called to them. Link turned away from the wall of thorns to see Drodvaltol waiting rather impatiently for them to follow. Link wondered what was the purpose of his shackles if he made no attempts to run, or do any harm. In fact, Drod seemed completely at ease there in Faron Forest, as if he were a free man.

Zelda seemed to trust him, so he let into the inclination.

Walking on foot made Link's thigh ache dully, but he hiked his travel pack further up onto his back and pushed on without showing his discomfort, confident that MiarindÍl could heal it easily soon enough. The trio of travelers made their way through the forest unhindered, crossing over the various rivers, and delved deeper into the damp flora, passing dilapidated ruins of a bygone age, being quite familiar with the area now. Link drew in deep breaths of warm, calming air through his nose, which was tingling with the sensation of what he could only describe as _magic._ It must have been the magic Zelda spoke of. MiarindÍl must have been hard at work fortifying her domain. He could feel the blanket of security in the very atmosphere in the light of the setting sun.

" _Come to my spring,"_ he heard the Care Takers sweet voice whisper to him on the breeze, filling his soul with peace. _"You are all weary from travel. I will care for you."_ Link looked over to Zelda and Drod, and judging by their tranquil expressions, they had heard it too.

Both the Princess and her knight had to kick up their knees just to keep up with the enamored Farontie, who took the lead, and enthusiastically urged them to follow quicker. Luckily, before long they finally reached their destination just outside the entry way to the cavern spring, glad to find that the stone doorway was already open.

Link glanced one last time at his princess, a suppressed grin on his face, and dove into the dark entryway.

* * *

Zelda's heart beat with joy. After so much trial and tribulation, they were finally on the road to Link's recovery. She trailed him and Drod down the stone staircase that bore into the mountainside, keeping one hand on the wall to steady herself, and the other holding onto a leather drawstring that hung from Link's travel pack so that she had something to follow in the pitch-black tunnel.

The further they descended, the quicker her heart beat.

Pale blue light began to dance on the walls and floor, and soon they finally broke through the dark, stepping into the open and inviting cavern. Link dropped his pack onto the soft ground with a satisfied sigh, and proceeded to the clear water of the spring.

"Long I have waited to see your dear faces," the Care Taker's voice beckoned to them as her body materialized in a beautiful show of flashing green light and swarming petals. "Forgive me for my slumber during the winter. Never before has my domain been succumb to such weather. I slept as my forest did, but I felt your presence nonetheless. Ever since I awoke, I have waited for you." Drodvaltol immediately dropped to his knees, mouth agape, and greeted his mythical deity in his own tongue.

"Anwinduhin, MiarindÍl," he gasped. "Velontir sitvviyata." The Care Taker stepped forward as graceful as a spring wind, and placed her hand on the side of his face, becoming locked into a telepathic trance. They stood in silence for a long pause, until MiarindÍl's cyan eyes blinked as she drew her attention to Link and Zelda, still holding her hand against Drod's cheek.

"Great horrors I see in his mind," she whispered, voice brimming with emotion and pain in a way that reminded Zelda of her mother when she was wrought with grief. "Horrors that have befallen my people. There are so many questions I must ask." She paused for a beat, and focused on Link. "But there is a more pressing matter at hand. Great horrors have befallen on you as well, young savior, have they not?"

"MiarindÍl," Zelda began, answering for Link, throat tight with nervousness. "He needs your healing. Desperately. The horror that has afflicted you people, is the same that has harmed him." The Care Taker nodded slowly, and tilted her head down to Drod, whispering something to him in Faronish. Drod's eyes opened, and he stood slowly before stepping to the side with newfound melancholy.

"Come, Link," she said, extending her hand out to him. "Tell me what ails you." Link took one last deep breath, then stepped forward into the spring, allowing MiarindÍl to cup his cheek with her oaken fingers. The moment her hand came into contact with his skin, both of their expressions darkened. The deep green color of MiarindÍl's aura began to pulsate randomly, and her eyes and mouth closed tighter. Their connection lasted far longer than one she shared with Drod, but after a few minutes, she finally withdrew her hand, almost as if his skin had burned her fingers, and her eyes shot open. The green light of her aura finally settled back down, and assumed his normal pace of fluctuation. Zelda waited with anxious anticipation to hear what she would say.

"Truly, you are made of something stronger, Chosen One," she finally said in a voice that Zelda swore was on the verge of shuddering with tears. Her usually calm and soothing voice had vanished, and in its place, was a much more strained, and sad whisper-like tone. "I am so sorry these things have happened to you."

"Can you heal him?" Zelda finally blurted out, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Many things I can. Others I cannot." A long silence hitched onto the end of her sentence, accompanying her distant and ponderous eyes. Link shifted uncomfortably before he finally turned around to face Zelda. Her heart seized up when she saw the wetness in his eyes. He was on the verge of tears, and yet his expression remained utterly stoic. He looked away a second after his gaze met hers.

There was more to MiarindÍl's words, but Zelda could not put her finger on it.

"It won't be pleasant," the Care Taker finally said. "But he will suffer no more pain. I will see to that."

"So, what is the first step?" Zelda asked, trying to push past the overwhelming sense of discomfort that coiled up inside her chest. The sense that something was horribly wrong, but she could not name exactly what it was.

"I will put him to sleep. A deep sleep. From there I will begin the healing process."

"Okay," Zelda said, trying to sound positive. "Let's begin then."

"While I put him to rest, I will need you go and gather something for me, please," MiarindÍil said as she gestured for Link to step further into the spring.

"Of course," Zelda chimed. "What do you need?"

"There are wildflowers in the meadow above. A blue flower called a Safflina."

"Ah yes, I know what those look like," Zelda replied, although she thought she recalled that blue Safflinas only grew in cold climates. Then again, perhaps she was wrong.

"Good. If you wouldn't mind gathering a plentiful handful of those. I will need to make a poultice from their petals to help the healing process."

"Right, I will be back as soon as I can." Zelda looked at Link one last time before she left, and smiled encouragingly. He did not return the favor, but he nodded politely. His response was odd, but not unwarranted given MiarndÍl's foreboding tone. Zelda pressed the thought from her mind as she strode up the stairs alone, still fumbling in the dark. However, she finally reached the top, and took long desperate breaths in the open air.

Zelda scanned the nearby grassy knolls for the Safflinas MiarindÍl spoke of, but did not spot any immediately. So, after tightening her sword belt, she set out on her scavenger hunt, allowing herself to become completely engulfed by her task to distract her uneasy mind.

Something was off down there. Zelda could feel it. _Focus on the task at hand,_ she reminded herself again.

Starting from the west wall of the ruined colosseum, Zelda tracked her way around along the small moats of water, carefully searching every patch of grass, and behind every tree. She found no luck on that side, so from there she proceeded to the eastern wall, and luckily stumbled upon a few short stalks of the blue Safflinas waving in the breeze, triumphantly snatching them up.

Zelda looked up to the amber sky, noting that she needed to hurry before she ran out of light.

With her few flowers in hand, Zelda pressed on, happening upon a few bushels here, and a few bushels there, until at last after nearly thirty minutes, she had a respectable fist full of the delicate earthy flower which smelled almost like lavender, although much more minty. Satisfied with her work, she jogged back to the entrance of the cavern, and descended the dark stairs once again.

The first person she saw was Drodvaltol, who was sitting on a nearby rock, gazing towards the spring with and entranced expression, absentmindedly stroking his beard, stuck deep in thought. He was a thoughtful man, Zelda had come to learn over the few months she worked with him trying to teach him to speak Hylian, and he was living up to that expectation. It seemed strange to her how he was always so calm and docile, yet every description she ever heard from her soldiers was how savage and vicious the Faronites were in battle. She had seen them too, of course, but not up close. Not like she had with Drod. And then there was the bizarre instance of wide spread cowardice among the Faronites' ranks at the first siege of the Citadel. It was an enigma to say the least.

 _MiarindÍl will know,_ she thought.

Zelda entered the cavern further, eventually coming upon the edge of the spring where she saw MiarindÍl kneeling beside Link, who was already fast asleep.

"Oh!" Zelda stammered when she realized he was in nothing more than a pair of loose undergarments that covered his modesty. MiarindÍl seemed unfazed by her alarm, and beckoned for Zelda to come closer. Zelda cleared her throat nervously before kicking her boots off, and stepped into the shallow spring.

Zelda froze when she saw innumerous purple bruises all across his body. She knew he had a few, which she assumed he just received from rough travel and fighting with his darkling several days earlier, but these; these were not the markings of a quick fight. He had been beaten, hard, and mercilessly. She wondered how, and when though? They looked far to fresh to have happened before he returned from the past.

"You know not how he came to bear these?" MiarindÍl asked as she examined him closer.

"No," Zelda aired worriedly. "Well, I knew he had some bruises, but I thought it was maybe two or three… But this… He never said a word."

"Old habits die hard, I suppose," MiarindÍl said sagely as her fingers drifted across his chest, a soft green light flowing out onto his skin, almost erasing the harsh purple and crimson color. Zelda swallowed the saliva in her throat as the pink scars that marred every inch of his skin became more visible and distinct.

Anger, pity, and sadness assaulted Zelda's heart as she came to realize the true extent of the scars he carried. Words on paper simply did not have to same affect as seeing the real aftermath before her eyes. She sniffled, and wiped away a single tear that trembled below her eyelid.

"How did he receive the bruises? I knew… About the scars… But these bruises are far to fresh to have happened during his torture."

"I had my suspicions about your guards when I felt your mind just outside the border of this forest. I saw through your mind's eye the way they mistrusted him, which is why I denied them entry… And now that I have seen that which has passed in Link's memory, my suspicion has been confirmed."

"They did this!?" Zelda gaped, the fringe of anger surging to her heart.

"No. Not them specifically, but others of their occupation. Twice he was beaten. Once when he was detained by your Legionaries in the Tabantha Frontier, and once when he was held prisoners in your castle's dungeons. They resorted to _harsher_ tactics of interrogation before he was proven innocent."

Zelda stammered for words, being consumed by angry disbelief.

"How dare… I… How could they do this!? After everything he has been through! I specifically ordered them not to harm him! Oh, they will pay for this. Why didn't Link tell me!?"

"Because he knew you would react as such," MiarindÍl responded calmly. "He felt that bringing this to your attention would only upset you unnecessarily, which in his mind was a breach on propriety. As I said, old habits die hard." Her gentle hands moved further across his upper body, washing away the welting bumps with her healing power. Zelda, unknowing on how to react to what she had heard, knelt in the warm water, reaching out with her hand and gently touched some of the smooth scars that perpetrated his skin. Her anger melted away instantaneously, and was replaced with sorrow.

"His scars, I cannot heal," the Care Taker said. "Once the skin has healed, there is little I can do short of cutting it all over again and healing it, but that is not worth the energy and its far from perfect."

"What about his fingers? Can you fix them if they've already healed?" Zelda asked anxiously.

"As they are now, I cannot. But, there is a way. It is just very unpleasant, hence his magical sleep."

"How?" Zelda's voice was hoarse and wispy as she stroked the chin of her Appointed Knight. MiarindÍl took Link's right hand in his own and examined it closely.

"I must break them. Break them just as bad as they were the first time. Only then can I heal them, and restore them to their full strength and dexterity." Zelda's aghast expression caught MiarindÍl's attention, but her calm eyes glimmered kindly and reassuringly. "Don't worry. He will not feel the pain in his slumber. He is dreaming right now. Good dreams, full of light and life. I daresay he has not slept this well in months." Zelda sighed with relief. "Let us begin."

"What would you like me to do with the flowers?" Zelda asked. MiarindÍl chuckled lightly, as if there was some unspoken joke.

"I don't actually need them," she finally replied. With a twirl of her hand, a single stalk of a flower shot out from the ground nearby, and bloomed in brilliant shades of sky blue. Zelda furrowed her eyebrows with utter confusion. "Your task was a false one, I must admit."

"What? Why?" Zelda asked, perplexed. An impish smile stretched across MiarindÍl's lips.

"Link wanted you to be distracted while I did my work... Cold Safflinas don't grow here naturally. You would have been searching for hours fruitlessly, had I not grown some for you." Zelda did not really know what to say to that, so MiarindÍl explained further with an amused smile. "Don't tell him though. Hylia knows his little heart would give out if he learned that I allowed you to see him in such a state of undress and toil. Lucky for you, however, I have decided to ignore his wishes, because I do need your help."

 _This boy! I will never understand what goes on in that thick skull of his!_ "What do you need me to do?"

"While I work on his fingers, I need you retrieve a knife or dagger from your supplies. We'll need it to cut out that shard in his leg. That too, I will need an extra pair of hands for." Zelda quickly slipped away to complete her _real_ task. On the edge of the spring, she found Link's clothes, boots, and weapons neatly stowed away, so she searched his belt and found his dagger.

His necklace was there too, which caught her attention for a moment, so she picked it up and held it in her palm. It was a simple little thing, nothing compared to the elaborate and elegant golden necklaces and jewelry she had worn before, but there was an unspoken value and beauty to it. It was something that he carried with him always, holding it near and dear to his heart, much like she held her own necklace that her father had given to her close to her own heart.

In that sense, Zelda related entirely. A necklace like that found value in sentiment, not riches.

Returning to the task at hand, Zelda clutched the dagger in her hand and returned to MiarindÍl, who was holding a number of Link's fingers tightly in her hands. Zelda was a few steps away when she suddenly twisted violently, bending his fingers unnaturally, resulting in an audible cracking noise. It took Zelda by surprise and she jumped back with a yelp. However, Link's calm face never changed, and his eyes lulled serenely rolled underneath his eyelids.

"Sorry," MiarindÍl said. "I should have warned you." She contorted again, breaking even more fingers, causing Zelda to cringe. It was too painful to watch, so she shuffled forward without looking directly at Link. It never dawned on her that MiarindÍl possessed such unhuman strength, that she could so easily shatter the bones beneath his skin like one would break a twig between their fingers. After a few more nauseating cracking noises, Zelda worked up the bravery to look, and saw his fingers all bent in all the wrong ways.

"Hylia alive," she gasped.

Luckily, MiarindÍl began to straighten them, as her healing glow wrapped around each finger, and restored them to their original position. After a few more minutes of this, his right hand was completely back to normal. "One down," she said with an encouraging smile before grabbing onto his left. Zelda held her breath as MiarindÍl began breaking every segment of his left hand's fingers with brutish strength. After a few _cracks_ Zelda looked away, and instead focused on Link's calm and handsome face.

 _Sleep well, Link,_ she said in her mind as she stroked his forehead, and ruffled his short, but soft hair. _You deserve it._

The soft green light from MiarindÍl's hands signified that she was finally healing his remaining fingers. Before long, she declared that his hands were whole, and should be just as strong as they were before, once he stretched them a little. MiarindÍl moved down to his thigh, and began to examine it closely with an intelligent eye before finally speaking.

"I need you to be brave for this next part. There will be a lot of blood. Are you ready?"

"No," Zelda said wearily. "But I will do it all the same."

"Good. Now, I will make an incision large enough for you to grab the shard while I hold the cut open. Once it's out, I will seal up the wound and heal it. The faster we can do this, the less blood there will be." Zelda closed her eyes and took a long breath to calm her rising nerves, and then nodded. She had seen blood before. And a lot of it. However, something about having to physically harm Link after the hell he had been through sent her skin crawling. Her stomach twisted and lurched as MiarindÍl prepared to drive the dagger into his leg, but steeled her nerves, determined to complete her task.

She could be strong for his sake.

With calm precision, the blade of the dagger slowly began to sink into his thigh, resulting in an immediate trail of blood spewing down his leg. MiarindÍl worked the knife along a few inches, coming into contact with the shard itself, and then cut around it completely. Blood was pouring out at an alarming rate. Zelda's heat beat harder in her chest at time went on.

"Its time," MiarindÍl said, dropping the dagger, and gripped onto opposite sides of the incision, pulling it open to expose tender muscles beneath. "It should be easy to grab from here," she said. With one last push of will power, Zelda's thin fingers delved into the wound and began to pry the glassy-black stone shard from its resting place. It took a few tries, since her fingers began to slip a little, but eventually it began to wiggle slightly, then quite suddenly wrenched free.

"Excellent work," MiarindÍl chimed, snapping into action. With a flash of green light, the incision pulled back together, leaving nothing more than a smooth patch of skin, as if nothing had ever happened. "That wasn't so bad was it?" MiarindÍl asked with a surprisingly chipper voice.

"Awful," Zelda retorted with a frown, washing her hands in the spring, marveling as the blood simply vanished the moment it came into contact with the water. Seeing this, she quickly splashed water onto Link's leg, and scrubbed away the remained of his blood. Oh, how he would squirm and protest if he was awake, and saw her ―the Princess of Hyrule― washing away his blood with gentle and caring hands.

If only he would see her as Zelda, and not the Princess.

"What's next?" Zelda asked as she rubbed the sweat away on her forehead. "Is there something we can do about his voice?"

"There is no more I can do…" MiarindÍl trailed off uncharacteristically. It was the same ominous tone Zelda had detected earlier before she left to find the Safflinas, but she did not inquire into it. "But, an idea came to me before we began. Might I observe your mind deeper?" she asked, extending her hand out to Zelda's cheek. Eager to find any solution to their predicament, Zelda readily nodded, and allowed MiarindÍl fingers to rest gently on the side of her face.

She felt MiarindÍl's soft presence travel up her cheek and into her brain, as she began to search for something very specific, something that she had never searched for before. At first, Zelda was unsure exactly what she was looking for, but after a minute of so, MiarindÍl brushed against something in her mind that sent energetic shivers down her spine.

 _My powers…_

However, there was something deeper there, but Zelda could not see it. MiarindÍl lingered there for minutes longer, silently, and gently observing, questioning, and noting what she found. Zelda reached out with her mind and contacted the presence within, finding that MiarindÍl was rather enthralled with her discoveries.

" _There is something… Incredible here,"_ the Care Taker echoed from within. _"There are the seedlings of magic in all living things, but in you… There is more. More strength and power lie beneath the surface than you realize, Princess."_

 _Can you show me? I cannot feel it for myself._

" _Some, yes… But the rest… Quite frankly, I barely understand it myself. I specialize in the magics of healing and protection, which I can easily understand, but that does not even scratch the surface of what you possess."_

Zelda would have been flattered if that prospect had not terrified her. How could she not know of this great power? What could happen to her if she stumbled upon a power so strong, that it would consume her to use? Creating barriers and firing beams of energy drained her enough as it was, would she have enough strength to lock away Ganondorf and Demise?

" _I think I have found a way to restore Link's voice,"_ MiarindÍl said, breaking Zelda from her thoughts. _"If it is magic that took his voice away, then it is magic, your magic, that can restore it. If all that I have seen is true, you are the light; the exact opposite of the Evil that haunts this world."_

 _What do I do!?_ Zelda asked urgently. Desperately.

She awaited to hear what the Care Taker would say, but instead of a verbal answer, MiarindÍl's presence wrapped itself around her own, and began to feed her with a wealth of information. Unlike normal forms of communication that used words and expressions to convey meaning, MiarindÍl presented her with feelings, inclinations, and knowledge.

She did not tell Zelda what to do. She made her realize what she could have always done.

MiarindÍl was simply the catalyst of this event, which filled Zelda with the overwhelming sense of… Well, she could not describe it. _Power?_ she thought at first, but that did not sound right. It was something simpler, and purer than that.

 _Wisdom._

Wisdom enough to make her truly grasp the depth of what she knew, and what she did not. Although she could not see exactly what MiarindÍl could see within her, she could feel its vastness. Her presence felt dwarfed before it, and yet she did not feel afraid, or intimidated. Awe was the purveying emotion. A great and mysterious puzzle laid before her, and her heart desired nothing more than to unlock its secrets, and harbor its wisdom.

Zelda opened her eyes, brimming with knowledge. Knowledge that was vast, yet as MiarindÍl had explained did not even scratch the surface. For the time being, however, Zelda knew what to do.

Shuffling on her knees over to Link's head, she leaned down and placed a soft hand under his chin where the skin was softest. A surge of power trickled down her arm and into her fingers, emanating with a bright golden light that outshone that of MiarindÍl's. The light leaked through his skin, and illuminated the inside of his mouth such that the thinnest parts of his cheeks glowed with a holy light, as if he had swallowed a golden flame.

He shifted gently in his slumber, but did not wake. In fact, he seemed ever more at peace than before.

Zelda grinned sweetly before she stooped down, and pressed her lips against his. The restorative power from Zelda's core traveled up her neck and out into her own mouth, before spilling into the mouth of her beloved knight, intensifying the illumination of golden light. She felt the air from his nose pass heavier against her skin, and his head began to turn his head slightly.

He was waking up, she realized.

She was not done yet, however, so she kept her lips against his, too focused on her task to notice how wonderful it felt, and then finally pulled away satisfied, releasing the last of her power.

"That felt to real to be a dream," a groggy and deep voice whispered. Zelda tried not to audibly gasp with disbelieving excitement. "Well don't stop now, might as well enjoy ̶ " Link's words caught in his mouth, and his eyes shot open. He scanned the roof of the cavern above, and then craned his head up slightly, listlessly blinking his blue eyes at Zelda, and then at MiarindÍl, before finally looking at his immodestly covered body.

"Holy shit!" he yelped as he shot up onto his elbows like he had the living daylights scared out of him, then realized his profanity, and clapped a hand over his mouth. "Hylia alive, am I still dreaming?" He looked down at his bare chest again, and then he really bolted up, stammering for words like an awkward, bumbling child.

"Link!" Zelda squealed. "It worked! You can talk!"

Link was at a loss for words, ironically, then glanced down at himself again, as if to note the absence of his bruises, then embarrassedly tried to lessen what they could see of his body, his face and chest turning a bright red color. "Please tell me I'm still dreaming!"

Zelda could not contain herself any longer, and burst into joyous laughter.

"No, Link, you are awake," MiarindÍl answered amusedly. "Your clothes are right over there," she said, pointing to the edge of the spring. Agile as a cat, Link splashed through the water, and in a mad sprawl of fabric, threw on his pants and tunic before rolling flat down onto the soft ground, breathing heavily. Drodvaltol, who had jumped out of his thoughtfulness at the sudden outburst, came to stand over Link and beamed.

"Link!" he said with an accent thicker than MiarindÍl's. "You wake! You Speak! This good!"

"Hylia alive, man," Link breathed. Having recovered from her fit of unabashed laughter, Zelda jogged out from the spring, and kneeled on the ground next to Link with a smile that stretched ear to ear on her face, flashing her bright white teeth.

"Link!" she declared. "It worked! It was incredible! MiarindÍl peered into my mind and found the source of my power, and showed me new abilities I didn't know I had. Since she was unable to restore your voice with her healing, she thought to suggest using mine, and low and behold, I was able to remove the curse that Ganondorf put on you!" Zelda waited a long while for a response.

"Sorry," Link aired, still looking up at the ceiling, short of breath. "I just need a moment to process this all."

"Please, take your time," Zelda teased. "I've only been waiting to hear your voice again for seven months, going on eight!" To her surprise, Link began to laugh. She had almost completely forgotten what his laughter sounded like. Goddess, it was a sweet as a jaunty melody.

"And you always were nagging me to speak more. But I'm thankful all the same, my lady."

' _Zelda,'_ she wanted to correct him to say, instead of the formal _'my lady,'_ but he sat up with newfound indignation in his expression before she even opened her mouth.

"You couldn't have waited until I was dressed to let Zel ̶ I mean the Princess in, MiarindÍl?" Link asked loudly, not angry, but clearly irritated.

"What can I say, young savior? I needed her help with your leg, and you weren't being cooperative." Link turned his head to face Zelda, who was still beaming with an uncontrollable smile, and then back to MiarindÍl.

"You had her help!?" he asked as if he had been offended.

"Well yes! Who else would? Drodvaltol's hands are still chained, and the Princess is the only other pair of hands around."

"You could have let one of the Royal Guards in!" he retorted, his voice becoming increasingly irritated.

"I do not trust them for what their shield-brothers did," she replied sternly. "I saw the same anger in their faces." Link's eyes sharpened and he scowled at MiarindÍl as if to ask, 'why in the world would you say that?' MiarindÍl simply grunted. "She already knows."

"You told her that too!?" Now he really looked like he was offended. Borderline furious.

"Well I couldn't lie about it, now could I? I planned on keeping it a secret from you, but you woke up rather early, spoiling that plan." Link looked like he was about to explode, so Zelda intervened.

"Relax Link," she said coaxingly. "Honestly, there's no need to make such a big fuss over this."

Perhaps that was a lie, though. Internally, Zelda was already plotting how she would see the soldiers that beat him would be disciplined for their insubordination. However, seeing how much he was working himself up over it, she decided a more soothing and calm approach would do him best.

"No need to fuss?" he asked rather irately, bearing a mocking tone. He hesitated when he realized his misconduct, and restarted. "Forgive me, my lady," he started calmer. "But would you not be upset if you suddenly awoke in nothing more than your undergarments under the eyes of the one person you very specifically requested to not be seen by in that state of undress?"

Zelda put herself in Link's shoes, and imagined herself in a similar situation. He certainly had a point there. Being awoken practically naked by someone you did not to be seen by did not sound like a very pleasant prospect. Then again, the situation rather called for it.

"I'm sorry about that," Zelda said honestly. "But MiarindÍl _did_ need help getting that shard out of your leg. And I am a grown woman, Link, I can handle these things, okay?"

"Its not a question if you can handle it, my lady. It's simply a statement of why you should not have had to handle in the first place. I could very well be horsewhipped for immodesty if any of my officers had seen!"

"Okay, now you're just being ridiculous," Zelda replied. "Firstly, clearly this was not of your own volition, and secondly, you don't answer to any officers. You answer to me, and the Queen, and I would see to it that anyone who tried to harm you would be disciplined. Now let this foolish idea go, and lets move on to more important things."

Link's eyebrows furrowed, and his fists curled before he finally exhaled. "Yes, my lady."

"Good. And for now, please just call me Zelda." Link opened his mouth to protest, but one sharp glance cut his words short. "Now, how do your fingers feel?" Link looked at his hands critically, and stretched them open and closed.

"They feel normal. Great, actually, but I would need to test them to be sure." He held his hands out from his body. "And they don't tremble anymore."

"We can practice with our swords later. What about your leg?" Link stretched his leg out, then stood, and took a few laps around the cavern.

"It feels tremendously better," he finally answered, sounding much less irritated than before.

"Well then!" Zelda beamed as she stood. "This has gone infinitely better than I hoped for! Everything, except your scars, is back to normal!" She expected Link and MiarindÍl to at least respond in an equally exuberant fashion, but there was the briefest of glances that her two companions shared that spoke of a different observation. A sadder, more dreadful observation. However, it only lasted for a second, and then Link forced a smile, disregarding the brief moment.

Something still was not right. She committed that she would ask at a more private time.

"I agree," he conceded. "That's one major problem taken care of. Now its time to move onto the next. Although, I must admit, I am starving. Perhaps we should prepare some dinner first."

The emptiness of Zelda's stomach could not deny his suggestion.

"I'm hungry as well, and exhausted to be honest. It is growing late. Perhaps we should sleep after we eat, and get an early start tomorrow?"

"Sounds fair enough," Link answered nodding briefly, heading to his travel pack.

"Eat?" Drodvaltol asked plainly.

"Ji," MiarindÍl answered. "Drodvaltol ven alvunten. Damel-jortizva, keltyine."

"Ah," Drod sighed contently. "Zietvin o Vietvin?"

"What does that mean?" Zelda asked. MiarindÍl smiled amusedly before answering.

"He wants to know if we will eat meat, or vegetables."

"Well, I hear Mighty Carps like to swim at night," Link said as he held up his crossbow with a debonair smile that suited him handsomely well. "Wouldn't take me but a few minutes! It'd go even faster if someone could go ahead and start a fire."

"I can get one started," Zelda volunteered. However, Link shot her a skeptical glance, but did not say anything quite yet. "I did learn how to start a fire, you know," Zelda added. "In fact, your own best friend Jonathan taught me when we were searching for you all through the winter." Link's expression changed slightly, and for the better, until a thin smile brightened his face.

"Jonathan always was a good teacher," he finally said with a thoughtful pause. "Let's get to it then, my lady."

"Zelda," she corrected.

"Right."

* * *

Link was quite impressed with Zelda's little campfire. It had the prefect mixture of good sized branches, and a collection of logs that would keep the fire burning long enough to cook their scrumptiously fresh fish. She had learned well from his best friend. MiarindÍl and Drodvaltol had taken to their own conversation on the far side of the fire, speaking in their native tongue, sometimes cheerfully, and sometimes dreadfully. To Link, they looked like a mother and a son finally reunited after years of being separated, and seeing the glimmer in MiarindÍl's ethereal eyes softened his heart toward Drodvaltol a little more.

Zelda also took to striking up conversation with Link, primarily speaking on inconsequential things, which he was overtly glad of. At that current moment, he wanted to keep things impersonal as possible, given what had transpired not even two hours earlier. He was terrified that he was remembering correctly, and that she had in fact kissed him in the moment between sleeping and waking.

However, he tried to excuse that thought. He had multiple dreams that she kissed him, and he thought that surely, he was just caught in the middle of one of those dreams when what ever magic Zelda performed to restore his voice awoke him. Surely it was ridiculous that she would ever do such a thing… Right?

He was not to keen on being proven wrong. That would make things dreadfully awkward.

Luckily, she did not bring it up, nor did she seem upset by their short argument earlier that night. He scolded himself for resorting to arguing with his Princess the very moment he got his voice back. It was a childish move to allow his emotions to get the better of him in that moment.

Then again, waking up with her hovering over him, him in nothing more than his undergarments was a preposterous, and horrifically embarrassing situation. He felt like his skin was going to catch on fire with how heated and red it became. And then she burst into laughter. That only made him turn redder.

He had made a damn fool of himself, cursing and yelping like a helpless wench.

He thanked the goddess, and all holy things on the entire planet that he at least had undergarments on. He knew eventually he would have to tell her the truth, but he would have died on the inside if it was revealed to her in any other fashion than verbally, when he chose to reveal it. Although, now that he thought on it, that time was fast approaching, and he probably needed to get it out of the way as soon as possible.

He nearly choked on the last bite of his fish when the realty of that thought really sunk in.

Shortly after their meal, the group migrated back into the cavern, Zelda and Drodvaltol meandering to the beds that MiarindÍl had prepared for them. Link rolled down into his own bed, and laid there, listlessly looking up at the cavern ceiling under the pale blue lights, not feeling the tiniest bit tired. His magic induced coma made him feel like he had slept for days on end. No doubt it would take him a while to drift off to sleep that night.

And then he remembered his night terrors.

That was no good, especially with how much his voice would reverberate off the cavern walls. Determined not to be a bother again, Link waited for a time until he was sure Zelda and Drodvaltol were fast asleep, then shimmied out of his thatched bed, trying to make as little noise as possible. He feared one particularly loud crunch had blown his cover, but after waiting a moment in silence, no one seemed disturbed.

From his travel bag he grabbed his bedroll, and his harp, which was neatly tucked in the largest compartment. Perhaps it was impracticable to bring a harp with him everywhere, but it was very small and light, and he found that he had a hard time parting with it. It was such a thoughtful gift from his ancestor, that it felt wrong to not carry it with him, as he carried the Clawshot his predecessor gave to him.

Besides, he would have little to occupy his mind that night, so having his harp to soothe him was a welcomed distraction.

With stealthy footsteps he climbed the stairs, confident that MiarindÍl would keep a vigil eye over Zelda while he slipped away outside. The cool summer night air drifted against his skin as he emerged from the cavern, and he took a moment to enjoy the peace and quiet. By the sound of it, the crickets would accompany him in his melody that night, singing in their high-pitched chirps.

With his back leaning against a fallen stone pillar, Link sat, and lightly plucked his harp in a soothing cadence. He played the few songs his ancestor had taught him, and then began to play the lullaby he so dearly enjoyed. The one that had been passed down by the First Descendant, all the way to the Royal Family of the present day. He closed his eyes peacefully, having already mastered the tune well enough that he did not need to look at his fingers to play, and drifted into an almost meditative state.

"When did you learn to play the harp?" The sudden voice made Link jump. If it were an enemy, he would have been dead already. For that, he scolded himself.

"The First Descendent taught me, and then gave this harp to me as a gift. I didn't mention that in my report, because I thought it was unnecessary." Link prepared to stand, but Zelda motioned for him to stay seated as she sat down beside him and rested her back against the same pillar.

"And you learned the Royal Family's lullaby after hearing it one time?" she asked with a thoughtful smile.

"Well. Yes, and no. Your family's lullaby is older than you think. It was ancient even by the First Descendants time. When I tried to play it the first time around, I was very sloppy, but when _she_ recognized it, shehelped me practice almost every day, to distract me from boredom and anxiousness."

"Really? Its that old? That is incredible!" Zelda paused for a moment ponderously. "I wish I could have been there. I would have loved to have met them."

"I think they would have loved to have met you too," Link added kindly, and waited for a beat. "May I ask why you are up? You seemed exhausted earlier."

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied smartly, before pressing on. "I couldn't fall asleep right away, and then I heard you moving around, so I waited a while and then followed you up, and found you here, playing my lullaby."

"I didn't mean to keep you up," Link replied apologetically. "In fact, I was aiming to do the opposite."

"Is that why you brought your bedroll?" she as intuitively, with eyes that threatened to crumple Link's composure. "Are you worried about your night terrors?"

"Yes," Link answered nervously. "But only because I don't want to keep anyone up. Its actually quite wonderful out tonight. I think I'd almost prefer it out here." It was a good answer, he reflected, because in fact, now that he thought about it, it was a wonderful night to spend under the stars.

"I suppose I can't argue with that," Zelda conceded, which made Link exhale with relief. Another arrow dodge, or so he thought. "Are those strange looks you gave MiarindÍl earlier today related to your night terrors?"

 _Dammit._ "Sort of."

"I knew something was still wrong," Zelda sighed. "Is there anything we can do to alleviate your nightmares?"

"I doubt it." _Oh just tell her, dammit!_

"Are you up to talking about them yet? In my experience, letting those types of things out into the open really help." Her tone was so sweet and caring. It broke his heart. Link inhaled anxiously, and exhaled tensely, trying to steel himself to do what needed to be done.

"They're always about… What happened in the Phantom Realm."

"I figured as much," Zelda replied almost in a whisper that was soft and comforting. "Anything in particular?"

"Sometimes it is the stabbing," he said in a wavering, and quiet voice. "Sometimes it's the fingers. Sometimes is something that hurts more mentally than anything else anymore. Something that can never be fixed. Not by MiarindÍl. Not by you. Not by anyone. Its something that I have to carry to the grave. Alone."

"Link," Zelda whispered, grabbing onto his hand, tears welling in her eyes. "You're not alone. I promise. I will be here for you."

Link prayed she would not say that, simply because he knew it would only make it hurt even more when his news would undoubtedly estrange her from him forever. Maybe they would still remain friends, but never again would they become that close. He guarded his heart for the final resolution, clearing his throat, and blinked away the wetness in his eyes.

"Ganondorf took something from me… Something that will ensure the end of my bloodline… Forever."

* * *

 **Authors Note #2:** The title of this chapter is in Faronish. Bra-tava, means 'Goodbye.' and Elnd Viy, mean 'Old Dreams'

Pronunciation - Bra-Ta-va, Elnd Vi (Elnd rhymes with elm, like the tree, except with a 'd' at the end, and a 'n' instead of a 'm'.)

The reason I did this is because I thought it would just be kinda fun, and a nice little creative change, given the contents of this chapter. Love you all, and time for me to sleep!


	37. Back to Square One

**Author's note:** Hello you beautiful people. I'm back from the dead, after a week of not posting. I simply had to many important school and work related things on my plate to really write very much... Also... The new DLC came out... So I kinda stayed up all night playing that. And let me tell you, it was worth it, dammit. 10/10 would lose all memory of it, just so that I could experience it again.

Anyways, hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter.

Also, as always, than you for the reviews.

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-seven, Back to Square One_

"Surely there's something to be done," Zelda finally whispered despondently after a long, painful silence.

"This trip was the breaking point of that last hope, although I had little hope for that even before," Link answered, massaging his closed eyelids. "If MiarindÍl cannot… Then no one can."

"I…" Zelda trailed off with a loud sniffle.

"I'm sorry," Link droned, every inch of his heart surging with aching pain that made his stomach churn. "I prayed beyond prayers that I would never have to reveal this to you, but… But I couldn't let this false sense of a future live on. You deserve better than that. You deserve to move on, just as I must move on."

"Move on!?" she demanded, tears threatening to roll down her flush cheeks. "How can I just _move on_!?" She stammered for words, but Link cut her off.

"I don't know. But you have to. Somehow. This is bigger than us now. We have to lay these things to rest, and focus on the trial ahead."

"No," she cried. "I don't care. You're still here, alive, and with me. I don't care if we can never have children. I'm not losing you again!"

"Zelda, please," he begged as he wrapped his fingers around her hands. "Your bloodline has to continue. Without it, our kingdom will never have an heir, and the future generations will be doomed when the Evil returns. This isn't a choice. It never was."

"We will find a way," she retorted, blinking away the wetness in her eyes resolutely. "I will bear another's child if I must! Goddess, it pains me to think of that, but if it means I can still be with you, then I will do it. I swear I will!"

"Zelda, don't be naïve!" Link chastised. "The dishonor is unspeakable. You know that would never work. And what kind of life is that for a child? To know that they are the result of an illegitimate consummation. That their father is some stranger that took on their mother not because of love, but because _her_ husband is sterile. And the kingdom, goddess the kingdom. They would never accept me. They would despise your child because of me. No one would never be at peace." With a sour frown, Link let go of her hands and sulked under the pale moonlight. "I will fall on my own sword before I let that happen. Hyrule needs a Queen and a King, unified. Not a Queen and a goddess forsaken eunuch. The Royal Bloodline, the bloodline of the goddess, must live on for the sake of the world. I have no say, or right."

"Who said the people would know?" Zelda returned pointedly. "Not a word would ever part from our lips! And the people can very well damn deal with you being king. I love you, and that's all that matters. They will move on."

"It's too late for that," Link replied sternly. "The Royal Guards already know of my mutilation. They have already spread their whispers to every open ear they find. Half-man is what they call me now under their spiteful breaths. But that doesn't matter anymore. I have a responsibility to uphold. A duty to fulfill. And once that is done I will leave if necessary."

"Leave and go where!?" she demanded.

"Away. Anywhere. Somewhere were I'm not a hindrance or a burden to you." _To the afterlife, if I must._

"No, I… I won't let you leave!"

"I'm sorry Princess. That is one order I will disobey if I must. It's better that way."

"Link, please! You can't leave me. How can you want this!?" Zelda asked indignantly. Link bit his tongue before it betrayed him, and coerced himself to respond without raising his voice.

"Do you think I want this?" he asked sharply. "Do you think I want to leave you? That my heart doesn't ache doing this?" Zelda's eyes burned with sadness at these words. "Goddess, if everything were up to me, in a perfect world, nothing would separate me from you, but we don't live in a perfect world, and nothing is up to me." Link exhaled with a shuddering sigh. "I am a weapon, and a weapon alone. Once my purpose has been fulfilled, _if_ I can fulfill it, the world will have no use of me. A sword without an enemy is nothing more than a useless hunk of metal. I'm no not a fool, Zelda. I know how this all ends, and there is no reward other than resolution of completing my duty. I have made my peace with that, and so must you."

Zelda hopelessly stammered for words, but Link held up a silencing hand before she could speak.

"Zelda, none of this means that I don't care for you. It is because I care for you that I have to do what is best for you and our people. I pray that we can stay friends, truly… But I understand if you too will despise me."

Link's heart shattered when he stared into her welling eyes, lip trembling. Suddenly, with a whimpering expression, she threw her arms around his neck so tightly that it was almost hard to breath. "Link," she said. "I will never despise you. Never! Please don't do this… Please don't lose hope. Great magic created this world and every soul in it. Surely there is something that can restore you, truly."

"Zelda. Let go of this."

"What would you say if you were restored?" she asked, ignoring his command. "Would you let go of these lies?"

Her questions stung like venom. What would he do? He knew what he was supposed to do as a knight. His answer should not change, but now, the way she held him, the way she desperately clung to him like he was the last lifeline in her existence, caused his steadfastness to waver.

 _No,_ he tried to convince himself. _I've already decided that._ Or at least he thought he had decided it. Unfortunately,he felt his resoluteness slipping away by the second. Could he really not muster the courage to deny his selfishness? Regardless of the turmoil his mind was in, he answered with what he knew he was supposed to say.

"No," he replied timidly, peeling her arms off of his neck. "I… I could never. Hyrule needs a strong leader, who the people respect."

"You will earn their respect! I know you will," she declared. Link only shook his head sternly in response. "Then be my consort," she continued. "I will lead the kingdom as the sole monarch. The people will be cross for a time, maybe, but with time they will forget, and move on with their lives."

"Zelda, there's no point in entertaining these ridiculous hypotheticals. None of this changes anything. My answer has to be no."

"Your 'answer has to be no?'" she echoed almost with a scoff. "Link, do you even believe the words coming out of your own mouth?"

"It's the truth," Link tried to argue, but already he was feeling conviction being swept from underneath him. "There's nothing that can be done about it. All that matters now is that we focus on saving our kingdom, and securing its future. We can't afford for this to get in our way of duty."

With one last teary-eyed breath, Zelda retreated to her spot on the soft grass, and sat, hopelessly resting her forehead in her hands, and stared at the ground while she sniffled and wiped her cheeks. Link restrained his instinctive muscles to touch her, and wrap his arms around her caringly, but every second that passed made his soul ache more with pain, unbearably so. Her tears slowly faded away with time as they waited in silence, the cool midnight breeze brushing against their skin and hair, providing them with a moment of respite from the strong emotions in play. Guilt tore at every facet of Link's heart. All of this was his fault. If only he had never climbed up her study tower, and started this whole mess all those years ago.

"Goddess," Zelda finally sighed, still wiping her eyes and nose. "Why must you be the most stubborn man in existence?" It was a strange remark, Link thought. Her tone did not make it sound like an insult, but much rather a matter-of-fact statement. Then again, he could not find it in himself to disagree. He always was stubborn. Link sat down opposite of her, massaging his eyelids, and rubbing his face with long, pensive breaths. They sat in silence for a while longer, both submerged in deep thought, until at last, Link built up the courage to break the silence.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, but she did not look up at him. A surge of hurt coursed through his mind. He was beginning to worry that perhaps she did not mean what she said about never despising him. In all honesty, he thought that surely there was no other alternative. After everything he had done, all the pain he had caused her, how could she have nothing but contempt for him now? "It's okay to hate me," he said earnestly. "I understand, truly. I cannot fault you for that."

"How can you still say that?" she asked dumbfoundedly. "I meant what I said, Link. I will never despise you… Even when I'm unbelievably frustrated with you, I will never hate you. All I've ever wanted was you."

"How can you still want me!?" Link asked, being his turn to sound dumbfounded. "After everything I did. After everything that I've lost. My great Shame. Why in the world do you still want me? I have nothing of worth to offer."

"Because I love you! Why would I ever let this _affliction_ stand between us?" Link prepared to voice his opposition, but she continued. "My mind won't be changed. I will find a way for us, one way or another."

"So, I'm a prisoner to you now!? Is my heart and mind a slave?" Link dared to snap, immediately regretting every single word the moment he spat it out. Given the aghast expression on her face, the damage was already done before he could even stammer out an apology.

"So, you don't want me then?" she asked almost in a whisper, her voice tinged with hurt. He eyes began to wet again as she bottled herself up, guilt riddling her expression.

"That's not what I meant," Link stammered. "I meant what I said earlier too. I'm only doing this because I love you. I have to do what is right, and fix what I broke. I cannot give myself to you. It would only spell ruin for you and our people.

She remained thoughtfully silent, her emerald eyes distraught and full of longing.

"Zelda," he began softly. "I can never apologize enough for the hurt I've caused you. I truly wish I could provide everything you, and our kingdom need, but I simply don't possess the ability or knowledge to do so. But I want you to know that no matter what, I will try to make everything right with every power I have in me. I know you will disagree, but it is for the better."

A moment of dreadful silence passed, and Link hoped ―well, hated to hope― that maybe she was finally coming around. However, her eyes grew defiant, and determined once again.

"Link, I understand where you are coming from, but unlike you, I have not lost hope. The goddesses may have been turned against us, but I know that if we can free them, and set right the wrongs of this war, including the horrors that have befallen you." She reached out to him with her delicate and soothing hand, and lightly rested on his arm. "I will not lose faith. The goddesses reward faithful servants."

For a fleeting moment, Link was lost in her piercing eyes, finding unexplainable peace locked deep within them. The pain in his heart began to dissolve when he realized a plain, yet remarkable truth; she loved him unequivocally. Unconditionally. Even though he was unworthy of her love in every sense of the imagination, she loved him, and did not give up. Even now, as the majority of the Hylians loathed his existence, and after all the pain she came to suffer at his expense, she loved him. Even though he could never uphold his duties of fatherhood, she still wanted him.

What did he ever do to deserve her love? How could she still love him? These questions sent him reeling back into his downwards spiral of self-contempt.

Surely it was because she still had hope that he could be healed. However, Link could not find it in his heart to fall prey to such naivety. Hope was a dangerous idea, and he knew it. What had hope ever done for him, except disappoint him, and cause him suffering and sorrow? What was the point of hoping to be healed of his mutilation, when that same hope it could so easily be shattered like fragile glass? Surely it would only hurt more if he allowed himself to fall into the dangerous routine of finding hope.

Still, every ounce of will power within him pathetically crumbled under her gaze. And by the looks of it, nothing would change her mind about it now. He tried not to dwell on how that prospect secretly made his heart swell with incomprehensible adoration. Through all the years of his relatively short life, he had never met someone so rooted in their beliefs. Her good standing went beyond what the word 'admirable,' could describe.

If only he could reward her unwavering dedication.

Sadly, he could not. Even if he tried. There was one truth above all; she needed someone better than he. Someone who could father children, and co-run a kingdom. Someone who was not a selfish, idiotic fool like himself. At this rate, he was confident even Lord Aron would make a finer suitor than most, as much as it hurt to admit. True, he and the over confident noble had their grievances, but from his more recent experiences, and the way Zelda described he had changed for the better the day before, it seemed that reality had shaped him into a respectable man.

Not a perfect one, but Lord Aron was almost infallible compared to himself.

And even if Zelda was right, and he could be miraculously _restored,_ he was still woefully stretching outside the bounds of his status. He was a knight, a Scorned Knight, doomed to be unwanted. The crotchety old lady at the Royal Guards funeral days prior had said it best.

" _You should not be here,"_ she said to him. _"Cursed is your blood I say."_

The message was clear and received; everyone, except the Royal Family and his friends, did not want him there. He knew he could never even earn enough rapport among the soldiers to even be promoted as an officer, much less a king or consort. That idea truly sounded like the most asinine thing he could think of. No, even if he could be restored, his stance could not change. No matter how much he wanted to. However, he could not find a way to convince Zelda of this truth. Against all reason, she defied the consequences of his inadequacies, and chose to remain obstinate to her decision.

It was beginning to seem like he would have to sneak away once his role was fulfilled.

Perhaps that was the coward's way out, Link thought. For a man who was supposed to be the personification of courage, he realized he sure did spend a lot of time shirking from the consequences of his actions. Still, if she was not going to listen to reason, then that was the only option he had. Unless he fell in battle, of course. Which was undeniably likely.

However, for the time being, it seemed he would have to accept the situation at face value.

"Hope is a dangerous thing, Princess," he finally said plainly, with a long even sigh. "But I see no amount of reasoning will change your mind now. However, my mind will not be changed either."

"I accept that as a challenge then," Zelda deadpanned, having regained, and mastered her regal composure.

"So we're right back where we started?" Link replied dryly. "You constantly trying to get me to abandon all logical sense of propriety, and me failing miserably at staying in line?"

"Well, I think we've made progress actually," Zelda declared, an inkling of amusement seeping into her tone. "You finally openly said you love me, so there's that! I've been waiting to hear that for years." Now it was Link's turn to stammer for something to say.

"I honestly don't know why you've waited this long for me in the first place," he stated. "Truly, Zelda, I wish you would listen to reason."

"Faith," she started sagely, "is not always reasonable, Link. In fact, it can seem like the most unreasonable thing. That is why faith is greatly rewarded. Do you think the Heroes and Descendants of old listened to reason alone? Do you think their first intuitions led them into the heat of danger? No, it was hope and faith that drove them to achieve the unimaginable."

It was a compelling argument. Perhaps more than he wanted to accredit.

Having nothing more to say, Link propped his back against the nearby fallen pillar, where his bedroll was unfurled, and leaned his head back to gaze up at the stars, lost in his musings. This was one of those times he found his heart and mind torn between two schools of thought. What in the world would he do now? The truth was out, and yet nothing had changed between them.

Frustrated, Link decided to simply let the time flow past while he distracted his mind. Without looking, he picked his harp back up and began to pluck it thoughtfully, but with no particular song in mind. He listened carefully to each resonating note, and closed his eyes to attune his focus on the melody his fingers created in a simple dance.

"What song is that?" Zelda quietly asked, coming out of her own withdrawn musing.

"No song in particular. Just fiddling around," he aired.

"It sounds nice," she commented with a small smile. "You have a real ear for music."

"I had always wanted to learn how to play an instrument, but they're rather expensive you know. I'm glad I was given the honor of being taught, and then given this fine harp."

"I would endeavor to hear it more often," she replied. "Would you play my lullaby again?"

Now that was a request he could gladly comply with. After a quick stretch of his fingers, Link began to play the timeless song of the Royal Family while Zelda came to sit beside him, and closed her eyes. Her breathing grew softer and calmer as time went on, and her head began to dip occasionally.

Seeing her practically fall asleep sitting up made Link realize his own tiredness. The moon was high in the sky by now anyways, and by Link's estimation it must have been well past midnight at that point. He decided to play the lullaby one last time before biding the Princess to return to bed and sleep, but before he made it through the last verse, he himself started dipping into unconsciousness. He did not even have to time to realize it before he drifted into an uncharacteristically deep sleep.

* * *

" _The restoration of the Sword is what you seek, is it not?"_ and unfamiliar voice beckoned to him in his dreamlike state. _"Long did I watch over that sacred blade, and absorbed its ancient knowledge… Seek me out, young hero, and listen to what I have to say… Time is of the essence, the whole earth trembles before what is to come, and there is still much traveling you must do. Come to me with haste. The Void grows wider with every moment. Ganondorf will make his move very soon."_ The voice vanished, and Link's eyes snapped wide open. He was surprised to find MiarindÍl bent over to him, her hand just withdrawn from his cheek.

"It will be dawn soon, young savior. I have never felt the Great Deku Tree's presence so urgent. You must do as he says, and go to him." Link blinked a dew times, dispelling the haze in them.

"What of Drodvaltol? We still need to see what is in his mind." MiarindÍl straightened and stepped back as if a memory pained her.

"I will show you. Although, I am afraid I learned very little, gazing into his mind. Mostly that they have suffered great pains. But for now, let the Princess sleep until dawn, and then I will relay these things to you both." MiarindÍl made a slight gesture with her hand, and pointed to the left of Link before vanishing into nothingness. He nearly jolted when he turned his head and realized Zelda was wrapped up in a blanket, with her back curled up against his side, and her head resting on his shoulder.

 _Skies above, woman,_ Link cursed.

However, he remained completely still, so that he would not wake her. She was exhausted the day before, and she needed her rest, so Link disregarded his discomfort, or more accurately his discomfort with comfort he found with her so intimately close to him. Looking at her face, he studied the smoothness of her skin, and her soft lips that tormented him only slightly less than before his capture. She seemed so much older looking than he remembered. Then again, she was much older now. In fact, due to the separations in time he went through, she was older than he was from his perspective. He had been gone only a few months, while in her time, he was gone for nearly eight. His birthday had already passed in this current time, but his body was a few months younger than eighteen. Not that it really mattered all that much, but it was an interesting thought.

 _Eighteen,_ he thought.

Eighteen was very young by almost all standards, and yet he had been through so much that he felt much older than that. Link looked back down at the Princess and studied her tranquil face a while longer. She would be eighteen soon as well, he realized. In that moment he decided that he wanted to give her a gift for her birthday, to say thank you for everything she had ever done for him. The question now was what exactly. It needed to be something simple, but meaningful ―but not to meaningful― and something that he could actually give.

That was a pretty slim selection, in his opinion.

Coming to the end of that thought, Link returned to the voice MiarindÍl had revealed him. The Great Deku Tree. No one, save the members of the Royal Family, and the Chosen Heroes seemed capable, or allowed into that mysterious forest where the Deku Tree was rooted, although, he had heard and read about the ancient tree that kept a close vigil on the Master Sword during its times of rest. The tingle of childish excitement welled inside Link. These were the types of stories and legends he grew up on, and he had always dreamed of going on great adventures as a boy.

He thought more on the voice he had heard in his sleep. It was a gentle one, but very deep, and as MiarindÍl put it; urgent. For a being so old, he was certain a calm demeanor would be engrained in its very roots, but that was not the case. The foreboding voice of the Deku Tree rather abruptly disturbed his peaceful sleep. And now that he thought about it, he really was sleeping peacefully. The whole reason he had chosen to sleep outside in the first place was to avoid disturbing the others from his night terrors, but not a single one came to him, and now Zelda was curled up against him, sleeping as peacefully as sweet child.

He wondered if her magic had something to do with it.

On second thought, it was better to not think about that. If the only way he would sleep easy at night was to have the Princess so provocatively close to him, then he would rather gag himself with an old sock to muffle his screaming. Under no circumstance could he dare to ever sleep with her again. This was the only instance that he would allow it to pass, since it was not out of his own volition. She had been the one to curl up to him after all. Still, he would not allow that mistake a second time. Not that he could ever, and would never do anything to would jeopardize her honor, but appearances needed to be upheld. Hopefully she would not come upon the conclusion that her magic could prevent his night terrors, because given her current insistence, it was not outside the realm of possibilities that she would try to sleep beside him like this again.

He felt embarrassed to even think of that.

Link yawned, and rubbed his eyes. He was still tired, and the sun probably would not rise for an hour or two more, so he carefully tried to make himself comfortable, very gently resting the Princess down onto her side as he scooted forward to sleep. She stirred a little, and her eyes fluttered. It seemed despite his best effort, he had disturbed her much needed sleep, so he sat absolutely still. He saw one eye crack open a little, but she seemed still unaware, much like when an individual that was caught between waking and sleeping. After a moment, her eye closed, and Link slunk further down onto the ground, so that he could rest his head on his bedroll. He shifted until he was comfortable, then closed his eyes and cleared his mind.

A warm body inched over to him.

Zelda had moved down next to him, the crook of her neck coming to rest near his shoulder. Link opened a passive eye and looked at her to find that her eyes were still closed, and appeared unconscious. However, he had the sneaking suspicion she was not asleep, but he was not going to try to find out and risk waking her if she really was asleep.

The red flags of propriety waved wildly in his head. If anyone saw them, his already less than desirable standing with the rest of Hyrule would break completely, and he could very well be put on trial for misconduct. That prospect steeled him enough to move away nearly a foot, and turn the other way.

"I can't stay warm." Zelda suddenly mumbled, eyes remained closed. "Get back over here," she yawned with a tinge of amusement. Link stumbled awkwardly on his response.

"What would people think if they saw this?" he whispered. "I'd rather keep my head, thank you."

"Ah," she yawned again eyes still closed. "No one is here. Don't worry about it."

"'Don't worry about it,'" he echoed, unconvinced. "Why not return to the spring? Its warmer in there. Or I could make a fire for you."

"Mmm, too much work," she replied sluggishly in a most un-lady like fashion, still half asleep. "No one is here to see, and I trust you. Now get over here before I freeze." Link sighed irritated, but acquiesced.

"Fine," he said begrudgingly. "But only this one time. And absolutely no one is allowed to know." Her left eye creaked open, and her brow raised, but she agreed, and beckoned with a slight gesture. Link inched back, only to have her met him halfway as she drew her self against him. Everything in his mind told him to stop, but before he could even protest, her head was buried in the hollow of his shoulder, and the blanket that was wrapped around her was thrown over him as well. It made his heart race, but he did not really know why. There was nothing sexual about it, but it still felt like he was committing a terrible sin.

He would have been in big trouble if he would have been in his full capacity.

He scolded every image that popped into his head with indignance. Even as a eunuch, apparently, he had a despicable lack of mental discipline, which was strange given that he had no inclination to follow through with such things. It was a mystery that made it nearly impossible to fall asleep, as uncomfortable as he was.

 _Just this once,_ he sternly reminded himself. _Never again._ Sleep eventually took him.

* * *

"Wake up," Zelda's soft voice said. A warm finger pressed his nose, and he opened his eyes to see something of otherworldly beauty. Under the morning sun, Zelda's radiant glow had him awestruck, and her smile was contagious. How he wished he could wake up to that deific vision every morning. "MiarindÍl prepared our food already," she continued, unaware at his utter enthrallment. "We need to get back on the road as soon as possible, she says." Link sat up and rubbed his eyes, and blinked heavily as he gazed up to the sky, remastering his mind.

"Yes. She told me as much this morning. I have been summoned by the Great Deku Tree."

"She told me that too," Zelda replied. "I have only met the Deku Tree once, when my father took me. It was quite the experience."

"What is he like?" Link asked as he began to stand, shaking away the stiffness in his limbs.

"Well. He's actually a lot like MiarindÍl, only… Older, I suppose. He can be rather mysterious."

"Really? From what I heard, he sounded very urgent and straight forward," Link said forebodingly. "I think even he is antsy about what is to come."

"Well, I guess we need to hurry then. His knowledge is ancient, and could be crucial to restoring the Master Sword."

"Indeed," Link replied. "Although, I'm not so sure we will be taking this adventure together," Link replied carefully. Zelda tilted her head perplexedly.

"Why is that?" she asked with a concerned expression.

"Well, you are crucial in the Front's defense against the goddesses. If they choose to strike while you are far away with me, then I worry you wouldn't be able to make it back in time to do anything about it." Zelda pondered his response with a brooding gaze, clearly very hesitant of his notion.

"Link, I'm not sure… I loathe to separate from you again. Not after what happened last time." He had to admit that he was touched by her concern. In all honesty, now that he thought about it more, he loathed the idea himself. However, there was an undeniable logic in his words.

"I know," he answered kindly. "I'm nervous about it too. But, I will be safer this time. With my darkling expelled from my body, they won't be able to track me down, unless they do it the good old fashion way, and I'm pretty good at covering my tracks." Link paused, and contemplated a strange feeling that was developing in his head. He thought on it a little longer, before voicing it. "Besides, I have this odd feeling that I must do this on my own… I can't explain it really, but I sense that the Deku Tree has something planned."

"Perhaps it is a trial?" Zelda suggested, her interest peaked by his mysterious proposal. "My father spoke of trials he underwent to further awaken the true power of the Master Sword. Maybe this is something of the same sort."

Link mused over her suggestion, deciding that it sounded quite reasonable.

"Perhaps," he conceded as they began to walk back to the cavern spring, still yawning and rubbing away the grogginess of sleep. Apparently, he was more tired than he thought the night before.

"You didn't have any night terrors last night," Zelda observed, a small grin on her lips. "I'm beginning to think my powers can do much more than I am aware of." Link chose not to grace her observation with an answer, worried what she might say regarding their sleeping situation earlier, and nodded plainly but politely. " _I_ had many dreams last night, though," she continued with her analytical tone she so often dove into. "They rooted the inklings of mysterious powers I have yet to discover. In fact, I might even have a grasp on something that would put me a little more at ease with leaving you."

"What sort of thing?" Link asked, genuinely interested.

"I'm not really sure, to be honestly," she answered. "I just, have this feeling. Like an idea that has yet to take full form. I supposed it's a lot like your feeling about going to the Deku Tree alone… Maybe this isn't a coincidence?"

"Well it certainly is strange," Link added. "We can talk about it more before we leave."

"Indeed. I need a little more time to think on it. I'm running more on instinct at this point. This is uncharted territory for me, including the magic I used last night to restore your voice."

Link nodded again before heading into the dark staircase that led to the cavern spring below. Zelda followed closely behind, occasionally putting a hand on his back for guidance in the dark. Link was happy to oblige, and led her with a steady guide. It felt strange, now that he thought about it. The night before, when he reveled the truth to her, he was certain things would grow strained, or horribly awkward between them. Or that she would even be angry with him for not telling her sooner, but in fact, quite the opposite seemed to be true.

Zelda did not treat him negatively. She actually seemed to treat him with even more familiarity and understanding than before. Their conversation beforehand was so casual, and when she placed her hand on his back, he did not grow anxious or feel unnecessarily out of place. It felt oddly… Right? Not to mention the fact that he actually allowed himself to sleep next to the Princess.

Maybe his sense of propriety was failing. Surely before, when he was more disciplined, he would have never complied. Maybe it was the sleepiness that made his usually steadfast determination waver, and given in to her request. Why did he allow her to have such a strong hold on his will power?

Link's head was reeling with confusion, yet at the same time he felt at peace knowing that the Princess did not change one bit after learning what would, or should have estranged any two people in their predicament. Perhaps there was still hope for a lasting friendship. Although, he was quick to remind himself that she had not given up on the idea of his full restoration. That would forever be a glaring issue, but for the time being, Link felt at ease with just leaving the problem alone. For now, that was another problem for another day. At that current moment, they had a legendary sword to restore, and a kingdom to save.

"Morning good," Drod's booming voice echoed across the cavern once they emerged from the stairway. He was sitting on a nearby rock, happily enjoying his breakfast.

"Good morning," Zelda corrected with a kind tone that Link had never heard from any of his teachers when he was training to become a knight. "And, _good morning,"_ she continued. Drod nodded, mentally noting the correction.

"I will try to teach him to speak fluently in your language," MiarindÍl said as she materialized before them. "I think that you will find he will learn it faster than you expect. Sharing a mental bond with a student exchanges much more information and understanding than traditional routes."

"He's staying here?" Link asked, a bit surprised. Zelda seemed equally surprised.

"Well yes, of course. He won't be much use to you locked up in a cell. Leave him here with me, and I can shape him up into something your people would call an ambassador. Drodvaltol is very intelligent, and I believe that he will play a key role in establishing peace between our people."

"You think we can establish peace between us?" Link asked. "I know Drodvaltol seems different from his more violent kin, but they _have_ sided with Ganondorf."

"Not of their own volition," MiarindÍl replied coolly. "Allow me to show you what I have seen in his mind. And then you will eat, and be on your way. Time is of the essence." Link and Zelda glanced at each other anxiously before consenting. MiarindÍl extended both her hands, and cupped the skin of their cheeks.

Link was immediately aware of MiarindÍl's presence in his mind, however he was surprised to find something else there. Something expansive. Although he could not physically see it, something in his mind told him it was of a bright golden light. And then it occurred to him that his mind's eye was observing Zelda's consciousness. For the second time that day, Link was awestruck by the princess he swore to serve. It was unlike anything he had seen ―or felt, more accurately― before. A golden tendril stretched past the void that separated them, and he felt it touch his own consciousness, sending shivers down his back. There was unbelievable power, and knowledge contained within her.

Was Zelda even Hylian?

Well, she was the descendant of the goddess Hylia in mortal form, after all. It only made sense that she would carry an otherworldly presence, but this was on a new level for him. It must have been the great power MiarindÍl described within her the night before. Although, it seemed Zelda was not fully aware of that power she possessed.

" _You're quite the mysterious presence as well, you know,"_ Zelda's voice echoed in his head as soft as a whisper, as if to answer his musings. Link physically jumped with the sudden intrusion.

" _You can feel what I'm thinking!?"_

" _Well when you project it like that, I can,"_ she replied slyly, seemingly amused. Although he was unsure of exactly how, he tried closing off the 'projection' she spoke of. Link rather preferred having the privacy of his own mind. If his tongue betrayed him so often, goddess knew how much his open mind would.

" _Relax,"_ Zelda said easily and reassuringly. _"I won't pry."_ Although her voice stopped, Link continued to feel her mind within his, and he sensed something in her head as if it were his own thought. _'As much as I would like to,'_ he felt her say. It seemed she realized that he had 'heard' her, as her presence immediately backed off a little and flared with embarrassment. Apparently, she did not mean to project that part.

" _Are you ready?"_ MiarindÍl suddenly addressed them, drawing both of their attentions. They both answered that they were. " _Very well. I will relay to you what I have seen."_ A bright light flooded Link's mind, and before him flashed snippets of many memories.

 _There was peaceful shoreline, under the warm and inviting sun. The breeze carrying a salty air that ran through the memory bearer's long dark hair. The feeling of tranquility and was intoxicating. However, something happened, although what 'it' was never presented itself._

 _There was only darkness now. It swallowed the world whole. The ocean breeze grew foul with the stench of death. And then there was pain and the fleeting images of a congregation of hooded beings. Around each of their necks hung an amulet of a darkened stone. Whatever the amulets were, they signified something dreadfully important._

 _And then all vision ceased, even though the memory's bearer could still feel the world around him._

 _The overwhelming feeling of anger corrupted his heart. And not just any anger. Raging and vile hatred. The type of fury that drove sane men to murder, and taste the blood of their enemies like rabid animals. And murder, the bearer did. Women, children, men. Any who were deemed unworthy to work, or could bear no more children were slaughtered without hesitation. Never did the bearer see their faces, but he could sense them. Blindness had taken him, and yet his footing never faltered, nor did his blade miss its mark._

 _Many more did the bearer kill. Among them were Rito, Gerudo, Zora, Goron, and Hylian, but he had never witnessed such beings before, nor did he know how he knew their names. The clatter of steel, the splintering of shields. All of it rang in his ears as he surged forward like a wild berserker, desiring to bathe in the pointy-eared monsters' blood._

 _However, a force plowed into his core, and the light returned. His eyes opened, and around him were countless dead. Most were his own kin, many of which he knew personally, and others were men of courageous and mysterious complexions. The weight of his crimes cut him to the core and he dropped to his knees, wailing and weeping. So much pain, but it was not physical. His heart, soul, and mind burned with torment._

 _He had given up, and before long, he was being dragged away by the men-in-metal clothes. One stood out from the rest, however. One bearing a sword of shining steel, and purple hilt. That One fought unlike the others. Something powerful was in that One's soul. That One was stronger than the rest, and the way he flew through his opponents was proof to this._

 _Soon a blond-haired pointy-eared man came for him, and spoke to him. He knew this man. He had seen him. He was the One who fought like a true warrior. Perhaps that One could free him from the monster that enslaved him. He would help that One if he could._

The memories faded away, and MiarindÍl withdrew her presence, breaking the bond between all three of them. The weight of sorrow weighed down on Link and Zelda's hearts as they mulled over what they had seen. A long silence fell between them.

"So Ganondorf is in control of their minds," Zelda declared ominously. "That would explain why they are madmen, while Drodvaltol is a gentle soul, being free from his grasp."

"And those amulets are the source of their corruption," Link added. "That's why Drodvaltol and many others were freed when I broke one of the specters amulets during our first encounter."

"It would appear so," MiarindÍl replied before taking a much more resolute stance. "It is because of this, that I beseech that you do all that is in your power to free me people from Ganondorf's curse without shedding unnecessary blood."

"Of course we will," Zelda said determinedly. "We will do everything we can… However, I cannot promise that blood will not be spilled. As much as I earnestly wish that were not the case, we cannot afford to let an inch of ground fall to Ganondorf."

"I understand," MiarindÍl sighed melancholily. "I cannot fault you for things outside of your control. I will forever be in your kingdom's debt, Princess. Anything I can do to help, I will."

"I may have an idea actually," Link cut in. "Would you permit our wounded soldiers to be brought here for healing?" MiarindÍl pondered his request for a moment, and then her intelligent cyan eyes danced between him and the Princess.

"Yes, young savior. See to it that your wounded are brought to the borders of this forest. I will come to their aid, and save those I can. However, even my powers have a limit. I request that only those in the direst need are sent. I cannot afford to waste precious energy on healing broken arms and bruises."

"Of course, MiarindÍl," Zelda replied, shooting Link a quick enamored smile for his thoughtfulness. "I will personally see to that. Only those who need it the most. On both sides of this war. If we can free your people, I will ensure they are given safe passage to Faron." In a rare instance, MiarindÍl's lips stretched into a beaming smile, and her intense glowing eyes shone brighter.

"Thank you, Princess. Their safety means everything to me."

"I understand," Zelda replied sagely. "Now, I think its about time we get a move on."

And with that, they shared one last quick meal together before packing up their few possessions and prepared to set out while the coolness of the morning was still on their side. Now that they knew they could truly trust Drod, they removed his restraints, and shook hands encouragingly, and perhaps apologetically, but he seemed to bear no ill will towards them. If he was going to become the Faronish ambassador, then the Princess wanted to be the first to extend the olive branch, as a sign of peaceful relations. As usual, MiarindÍl accompanied the Princess and her knight to the edge of the forest, as did Drodvaltol, and bid them a long and meaningful farewell before opening a passage through the wall of thorns. Link glanced back at MiarindÍl one last time as the thorns closed back together, and smiled bittersweetly.

"Princess Regent, where is the prisoner?" one of the knight escorts asked as he quickly stood from his fire-side seat, and bowed.

"He is staying here, under the Care Taker's watch. But we must make haste, gentlemen," she said commandingly. "We will ride together to Proxim Bridge, on to Fort Hateno, but that is where Master Link will split from us, and travel to speak personally with the Great Deku Tree."

" _Speak_ to the Great Deku Tree?" he asked, equal parts surprised and unconvinced.

"Apparently its very important," Link answered, trying his best to contain the smug smile that wanted to stretch across his mouth. The shocked expression on the knights face only made that urge greater.

"You can speak now!?" the knight asked with a mixture of curiosity and poorly hidden distaste. Link chose to merely shrug his shoulders, and turned away to tend to his horse, but underneath, he was quite pleased with his antics. The whole while they were saddling their horses, Link could hear them whispering amongst themselves as if they had seen a feat of witchcraft before their very eyes. Link and the Princess shared an amused glance with one another before mounting up and prepared to set out at a gallop.

Given their quick pace, they reached Proxim Bridge within an hour, and halted at the order of the Princess. The knights set out in a vigil formation, facing outwards as Zelda dismounted. Link did the same, and awaited to hear what she had to say.

"Allow me to see your necklace for a moment," she said kindly, holding out her open palm.

"What for?" Link asked as he complied.

"I think I figured out how I will do this."

"Do what?" Link asked, but she hushed him as her full attention fell upon the carved necklace in her hand with the intensity of a bird of prey. Her palm began to glow with golden light as she cupped the necklace in both hands, and she closed her eyes as she focused in on completing her spell. Link stood in silence as he watched the spectacle of brilliant golden light, which in his opinion made her beauty radiate even more. Before long, a soft ringing noise fell upon his ears, until at last the light faded, and Zelda opened her eyes.

"There," she beamed as she took his hand and placed the necklace in it. "I have formed a protective barrier that is anchored on that necklace. As long as you wear it, the specters will have a hard time harming you." She closed his fingers around the necklace, but did not let go of his hand. Her emerald eyes darted back up, and locked with his own. "Now, it won't last forever," she said almost in a whisper. "But it should give you enough protection to have a fighting chance if they happen to attack you." Zelda paused meaningfully, but Link had nothing to say. He then noticed how close she was to him, which made his heart beat nervously, but after a few quick glances, he saw that none of the knights were watching. That only put him at ease a little.

"You better be careful out there, okay," she whispered. "I don't know what I would do if I lost you again."

"Probably the same thing you did for seven months, my lady," Link replied kindly. "Survive. Grow stronger. Lead a city. You'd be fine without me."

"Well, despite what you think," she said cheekily, "I felt like I was in over my head, and I was quite miserable. Please don't make me do that again."

"I promise I will try not to get captured," he deadpanned. "Trust me, it was not fun for me last time either." Zelda cringed, and furrowed her eyebrows apologetically, but he reassured her with a polite smile.

"Come back here as soon as you can," Zelda continued.

"And you make sure you have guards with you at all times," Link whispered so the guards would not here him issuing a command to the Princess. "For the love of the goddess, please stay safe, Princess. Send knights out to clear the roads before you think about moving. And stay a good ways away from the front ̶ "

"Yes yes. I know. Don't worry about me. I have an army and my powers to protect me."

"A lot that did last time, my lady" Link rebutted. Zelda sighed seriously before responding.

"Don't worry. I will take extra precautions, for your sake."

"Don't do it for my sake, my lady," he replied. "Do it for everyone's sake. None of us live if you die." It was perhaps a bit more morbid of a statement than he intended, but given the expression on her face, his point was readily made. Zelda gazed at him silently for a little longer before glancing around them, to check each far-off guard.

"Take care, Link." Before he realized it, she tippy-toed up and kissed him on his cheek before returning to her horse and set out. If she were timid about what she had just done, she did not show it one bit. Link on the other hand, was red in the face. He was completely floored by her breach of conduct, and yet deep inside he yearned for her to do it again.

Link put considerable thought into the kiss he dreamt about the day before; the one he was worried was real. He was horrified to think that she really had kissed him, if she was so bold to do what she just did. Especially with guards nearby, that could so easily turn their heads and see. Luckily, none of them seemed to notice.

However, all that he could think about now was how desperately he wanted her to kiss him again.

No amount of pointed pep-talks, and self-arguing could deny the fact that every fiber of his being wanted to be with her. Every aspect of her dug deep into his heart, and held on with an unbreakable grip, and there was nothing he could do about it. And for a man in his particular situation, that was by far the worst desire that could befall him. He knew he loved her before, but now, it was uncontainable.

He was in worse trouble than he thought. The forthcoming pain of self-denial would kill him indefinitely. One way or another.

After a long and pensive breath, Link mounted his horse, and drew his hood over his head, donning his mask. Zelda and her entourage were already well across the Proxim Bridge, but Link watched a little longer before finally turning north.

 _Well. Let's get this over with then._


	38. The First Trial

**Author's note:** Nothing special to report, just here to wish you a good day, and a thank you, as always.

Enjoy!

* * *

 _Chapter thirty-eight, The First Trial_

For the first time since he had first ridden Epona, Link's trustworthy horse adamantly refused to go any further, outright ignoring his commands. Even the slightest snap of a wooden twig made her jump skittishly, but Link could not fault her for that. In fact, now that he was standing before the dilapidated stone archway that led into the Lost Woods, he himself was feeling very uneasy.

There was something mysterious and terrifying about those woods.

No wonder no one else ever came there. The fog was so thick and oppressive that Link could see no more than a few yards ahead, but even then, the endless sea of crooked trees that bore what resembled haggard faces stared at him menacingly, sending shivers down his spine. He had heard the myths and legends that surround that forest, as ever child in Castletown had, but only the bravest adventurers ever actually went there, and those who did never made it very far past the stone archway before becoming hopelessly lost.

It was called the Lost Woods for a reason. Not that anyone was ever reported to have died, just frightened beyond all belief. He at least had that going for him.

Accepting that Epona would not move one hoof closer, he dismounted and gave her free reign. He was glad he had a horse that was smart enough to not run away. She practically answered his whistle, when he called for her. He gave her his last apple as a thank you, and rubbed her cheek affectionately.

"Alright, sweetie," he said to her, clicking his tongue as he removed her bridal. "You stay close by okay? I won't be long, hopefully." She knickered a little in response before strolling a few yards away and began eating the green grass nearby before resting on all fours. She had served him faithfully, riding very late the night before, and rose early to bring him here. He knew if his legs were sore, hers probably were too. He would treat her with all the extra apples and carrots she desired once they made it back to civilization. However, he had more important things to think about now.

Link turned his gaze back to the stone archway and took a deep breath before taking the plunge into the unknown. The fog billowed at his feet in wistful spirals as he took his first steps into the ancient forest. The atmosphere was so full of… Something. He could not put his finger on it exactly, but in a way, it reminded him of Damel Forest, only scarier. There was magic tucked away in every corner of this place for sure.

He had only walked a few yards when suddenly he came upon a lone torch burning valiantly in the mist. _Who put this here?_ he wondered. There were no signs of life anywhere, except that of wildlife, and there were no tracks made by intelligent beings. Link pondered the orange flames a moment longer, until something in his peripheral vision caught his eye. A second torch far to his right caught fire, casting its warm inviting glow ambiently into the foggy air.

Something was leading him. It must have been the Deku Tree. Who else could it have been?

Link swallowed pensively, before trudging forward, and followed the path laid before him by the guiding light. Sure enough, after a minute of walking, he came within an arm's length from the new torch, and once he did, another far off light lit up, and led him on his way. The sensation that accompanied these events mirrored that of equal parts childlike wonder, and eerie discomfort.

Someone was watching him, but he could not see who.

Ignoring the feeling in his gut, Link pressed on, and followed the trail, coming upon several more torched that led him the right way. However, after a few, the torches just stopped. There was nothing pointing him in the right direction anymore. Deciding to let blind choice decided his next heading, Link drove in between two large open-mouthed trees, and crept forward with a cautious stance.

Suddenly, a wall of white fog assaulted him, and reduced what little vision he had down to a few inches. Nothing ever came, however, so Link pressed on, and kept a slow and steady pace. He walked for a few minutes longer until he saw the radial glow of torch light in the distance.

 _Good,_ he chimed. With new purpose, Link pushed on, eventually coming upon the torch, but then he noticed something odd. The trees nearby were the exact same ones he had seen earlier. It appeared that somehow, he had looped all the way back to where he left the last torch. Link eyed his surroundings critically before deciding to try his luck again, and struck out in a different direction, only to once again find himself being consumed by a wall of mist, and yet again end up stumbling into the exact same spot he started from.

"This is weird," he said openly.

He figured the third time was the charm, so Link picked yet another direction, and trudged forward. Deciding that the wall of fog served as a deterrent, any time Link ran into one, he turned on his heel and sprinted back the other way until it stopped perusing him, and then chose a different path. After nearly fifteen minutes of walking and running, it seemed his new strategy had worked. Before him stood two cliff faces, and in between them ran a little trail.

His heart beat with nervous excitement.

And then without warning, he heard a quiet whisper behind him. As fast as a blink, Link snapped around, crossbow pulled from his belt, bolt loaded, and aimed. However, there was nothing there. Only the trees, grass, and fog. Link searched his surroundings with an unforgiving eye, but found nothing of immediate concern. The only notable noise were the howls of distant wolves, and the gentle breeze that tossed the grass in waves.

Reluctantly, he lowered his crossbow, and proceeded down between the cliff faces, fully expecting an ambush at any moment. Luckily, nothing ever attacked him, and before long, the fog began to dissipate, allowing the warm morning sun to stream in through the thick canopy above.

His jaw dropped when his eyes laid upon the one and only pedestal.

Link had only ever seen it in paintings, and if he had to be honest, they did not do the lighting justice. A hole in the leaves above allowed great shining beams of light to pour in directly on the exact spot the Master Sword would rest. Link approached the triangular dais carefully, with the utmost reverence, and kneeled to examine the pedestal more closely. It was nothing more than a simple slot a mere blade's width wide and thick.

"You have done well to find this place, Chosen One." The intrusion made Link jump defensively, but then he realized he recognized the voice. Link cleared his throat, and searched around him, until at last he looked up to the monolithic tree that stood tall before him, its roots wrapping around the very forest itself.

And then the tree moved. More than that, it had a face, or as close to a face as an ancient tree could have, long slender branches protruding from what Link assumed was representative of his brows and mustache. Now that Link had seen the Great Deku Tree in person, he could not imagine a more fitting voice for the sagely being. His uneasiness from before melted away as the wise and gentle presence of the ancient tree greeted him.

"I can sense my daughters magic upon you, Chosen One. I am glad to see you in one piece." The Deku Tree paused thoughtfully. "Although, you are not as whole as you should be, I believe. A Spirit you are missing. Among other things."

Link opened his mouth to speak, but the bitter singe of embarrassment burnt his tongue, and clamped his jaw shut.

"Forgive me," the Tree continued earnestly. "I seek not to upset you. But we have little time, Chosen One. I am afraid all formal introductions will have to wait. Will you allow me to gaze upon that which was once the Master Sword?"

Link complied without saying a word, drawing the Goddess Sword from his back in one smooth motion, and held it in his hands.

"Ah, yes," the Deku Tree sighed after an unusually long silence. "It is as I feared, Chosen One. Great trials you must face to restore that blade."

"What must I do?" Link asked, feeling rather small and childlike under the lumbering eyes of the Great Tree of Wisdom.

"Do you recall grand legends of your land, Hero? The stories and myths of dragons?"

"Dragons?" Link asked perplexedly. "They disappeared during the rebirth of our kingdom. Some say they will be gone forever now. The late King was the last of our people to lay his eyes upon them. At least, that is how the Princess explained it to me."

"Disappeared, yes. Gone forever, no," the Deku Tree explained urgently. "You see, the answer to this trial lies within each of them. To restore the Master Sword, you must seek them out, and answer the challenged they offer to you."

"A challenge?" Link asked worriedly.

"A challenge, Young One," he replied. "A challenge to prove your worth of that blade. Once you wielded it, but that was with the power of the Spirit that dwelt within you. Now that it has been removed from you, you must strengthen yourself, and prove yourself worthy of wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness on the courage that lies within your own heart, alone." Link cleared his throat nervously, unsure of what to say to such a daunting proposition.

"And how do I find them?" Link asked sheepishly.

"Go to the springs that they swore to protect, Chosen One. Kneel before sacred waters of those springs and pray for their help. They will answer your call. Dinrall, chosen mouthpiece of Din. Naydra, chosen mouthpiece of Nayru. And Farosh, chosen mouthpiece of Farore. The chosen three will be the key, but great tribulations will you face. Only then will they help you restore the sacred power of that blade."

"How do I know I will be enough to answer their challenge?" Link asked worriedly.

"You won't know, Chosen Hero. You must rely on faith alone." The Deku Tree's expression shifted thoughtfully. "Your Princess speaks true. I heard the wise words of her counsel regarding faith through MiarindÍl, Chosen One. Reason alone will not give you the answers you seek. In this time of great peril, when the destiny of time has been so critically altered and disregarded, faith will be the last purveying light. Let not your worries impede you. It is now that you must act."

"I…" Link hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond to such an ominous remark. "I will try," he finally stammered before pressing on. "How will the Dragons help me restore the Master Sword?" he asked.

"I do not know, Chosen One. I only know that they are the last remaining ties to the golden goddesses. They will help you, as will all benevolent beings of great magic. Those with ears and hearts wise enough to hear and feel it know that the Void is coming, and that you and the Descendant are the only remaining hope. The survival of all creation hinges on your success."

"Oh…"

"There is one last thing, Chosen One. You must seek out the Dragons of the Goddesses alone. This is your trail to face, to prepare your mind and body for what is to come, as the Princess must prepare her own mind and body."

"I see," Link responded reluctantly, feeling quite overwhelmed with the weight of self-doubt. However, he had made it this far. There was no turning back. Confidence or not, he had a job to do, and he resolved to see it through to any ends. Failure was not an option.

"Good. Then I suggest you make haste, Chosen One. The Void waits for no man."

"You keep saying that. 'The Void.' What do you mean exactly?"

"The Void is the all-consuming darkness you witnessed within the Real of Gateways; or the Phantom Real as you called it. I saw it too, in your memories sent to me by MiarindÍl. I can feel its draw on this world as we speak, although I cannot say what it is exactly. Ganondorf and Demise syphon dark and terrible power from that tear in reality. Once it bleeds into our world, they will be stronger than any the came before them. They will launch their full assault very soon. It is of paramount importance that you restore the Master Sword before that happens."

"Understood," Link declared with a disciplined voice, sheathing the Goddess Sword. "Then I shall take my leave, Great Deku Tree."

"Go in faith, young one," he replied with an oaken grin. "May the stars guide you at night, and your courage strengthen your heart." The Great Deku Tree's eyes closed, and silence drifted down between them, as if the ancient tree had fallen asleep. Seeing that there was no more to say, Link turned on his heel, and prepared to leave, when a sudden glimmer of white light caught his attention. Not far from his feet stood a singular, and beautiful flower of white and blue petals. For a moment, Link was completely enthralled by its beauty, and kneeled beside it, examining it with wide and wonderous eyes. And then it occurred to him what type the flower was.

It was a Silent Princess.

His heart warmed with fond memoires of his beloved Princess. She always adored the rare, almost nonexistent flower. Clearly, they meant a lot to her for sentimental reasons, although she had never taken the time to explained exactly why. He reached out with his hand, and stroked one of the soft petals with his finger. It would make a wonderful birthday present for her, he realized. He had always imagined himself giving one to her someday, but until now, he had never been presented that opportunity. However, he hesitated. She said that because it was such a rare flower, that they feared it would go extinct, so they should not be plucked lightly.

"Go on, take it, New Mr. Hero," a high-pitched and chirpy voice said to him. Link looked up to a nearby boulder, and to his surprise and delight, he saw a small forest creature standing atop the rock, a green leaf pulled over its face, almost like it was a mask. He would have been more cautious of allowing a smile to stretch across his lips, but if he had to be honest, the strange little thing was… Well, adorable.

"Are you certain?" he replied.

"Mhm! More will grow here. They always do. Old Mr. Hero liked to pick them too, back when he used to visit." The creature shimmed a little, and bowed its small head despondently. "I do miss him. Last time he came here, he brought his little daughter. She was very nice, New Mr. Hero. Have you met her? She's very pretty."

"I have," Link replied kindly, when the bustling of leaves all around him caught his attention. One could only imagine his surprise when a drove of the small forest creatures surrounded him with fascinated demeanors.

"Its okay, forest friends," the brave creature declared loud enough for its friends to hear. "He is a nice Mr. Hero!" The forest dwellers all sighed and cheered in their own unique and high-pitched voices, some even springing into little lively dances or jingles. Link found it hard to suppress his easy laughter.

"What is your name?" Link asked, returning to the dweller on top of the rock.

"My name is Saria! I'm a Korok, Child of the Forest."

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Saria," Link said before plucking the lone Silent Princess, and very carefully tucked it in his belt pouch, ensuring that its delicate petals remained relatively undisturbed. When he was done, he stood and then gestured for the Korok to follow him. Saria hopped down from her rock with a jovial chirp, and skipped beside him to keep up, as did many other captivated Koroks. It was quite the amusing sight to see countless Koroks trying their best to run as fast as they could to keep up with Link's leisurely pace.

"You know, you share a name with a very important girl from our lands history," Link continued. "A girl who helped seal away a very evil man. She lived in a forest like this too."

"Yep! Saria of the Kokiri! We used to look like that, actually. We looked like Hylian children. But then that nasty flood came, and gave us all a very hard time, Mr. New Hero. We had to change shapes in order to survive." The Korok slowed in pace for a moment, and looked to the ground ahead of her, pondering something very important. "But we lost most of our memories. Only our names, and fragments of who we used to be stayed in our new little brains."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Link replied honestly.

"That's okay!" Saria beamed, picking her pace and cheerful tone back up. "We're happy here with the Deku Tree. Although, we would love to see more visitors like you, Mr. New Hero! We find visitors very interesting. Not many people make it past the Lost Woods, though. You're the first one we've had in years. Not since Old Mr. Hero brought his cute little daughter. Have you seen him recently? How is he doing?"

Link stopped, and furrowed his eyebrows sadly.

"He… He's in a better place now," Link said quietly.

"Oh! What sort of place?" Saria replied, oblivious to his connotative meaning. "That sounds like fun! Do you think he will come back to visit?"

"No, I'm sorry. I don't think he will," Link said evasively before moving forward again.

"Why not?" she asked. Link sighed sorrowfully before answering.

"I'm sad to say that he passed away. He was killed fighting to protect our land from the Evil." The poor Korok and all of her companions stopped dead in their tracks, the rustling of their leaf mask shuddering to a halt. A singe of guilt panged Link's heart, having to be the bearer of sad news to such gentle and innocent souls.

"What about his daughter?" Saria asked in a depressed whisper.

"She is fine," Link replied softly. "She is very strong and courageous like he was. I like to think a part of him lives on in her heart."

"Well, that is good," Saria replied with a shimmy of her leaf mask, emerging from her saddened tone. "The Deku Tree says good souls live on in the hearts of those they loved. If you dig down deep inside, you can feel them. It's like they never left."

Link was at a loss for words at that. He could have never predicted such a child-like creature having the aptitude and strength to handle something so grim as death with that much optimism. For a moment he was envious of her ability. Perhaps one day he could learn to move on so easily.

"I hope I can learn to reach down that deep," he replied longingly. "But that is another task for another day. There's work to be done." With a deep breath, Link increased his pace, quickly passing through the rocky valley that led back into the Lost Woods. The Koroks that accompanied him stopped just shy of the clouds of fog, and began to wave.

"Goodbye, Mr. Hero," Saria said with a hop, along with her companions. "Come back to visit us. We have a nice bed you can sleep in, and some tasty mushrooms to eat."

"Thank you, Saria," he replied with a wave of his hand. "I promise I will try to visit someday."

"Good luck," he heard many little voices cheer with joyous skips. It warmed his heart to see them so quickly treat him with kindness, but as he turned around and plunged back into the fog, that sensation began to waver. Out there, in the wide-open world, very few treated him with that type of kindness.

Not that it truly mattered, he told himself. Only the opinions of the people he truly cared about mattered now. If Zelda and the rest of his friends cared for him, then that was enough. Besides, he was not in the 'feel good' business. He was in the 'save the world, or else everyone will die because of your failure,' business. Still, it did not hurt to have something to keep his heart going, and the benign forest children certainly did him some good.

Absentmindedly, he felt the leather pouch on his belt, and check if the Silent Princess he picked was still there. Sure enough, it was, although he worried it would wither and fall apart by the time he got it to her. Now that he thought about it, perhaps he should not have plucked it in the first place. It would be a sorry excuse of a present. Who would want a dead flower? And to think, he killed such a rare specimen for his own selfish wants.

He chastised his foolishness.

He used to be good at thinking things through, but now he found that he did most things out of instinct. For some things like fighting and surviving, instinct was great, required even, but in matters of the heart, it was his stumbling block. Instinct made him say and do stupid things, like plucking an endangered flower for someone he would potentially not see for days, or even weeks. Not to mention the romantic message it might send. Another fact he scolded his foolish mind for.

Not that he did not want it to be, but simply, he could not allow it to be.

She may have been very keen on not giving up on that, but he just could not muster the courage to agree. Link felt like he would implode if he allowed that hope to live, only to have be crushed by the inevitability of reality. It was better to accept the truth now, than have a false hope swept from under his feet.

Link nearly walked into a tree before he realized he was far too distracted with his pointless musings.

 _The task at hand,_ he reminded himself. Link back tracked the trail he took to reach the Korok Forest, cautioning to avoid the ensnaring walls of fog, until at last he reached the first torch, which was still lit nicely. Epona was still nearby, contently resting in the tall grass just outside the stone archway. She craned her neck up and peered at him with intelligent eyes.

"Hello sweetie," he whispered as he put the bridal bit in her mouth. "I know I've asked a lot from you the past two days, but we still have a long ways to go." Epona seemed to have no complaints, not that she could actually understand him, but Link liked to believe she could. Just for fun. Once he mounted his horse, Link considered his options.

The Spring of Power, dedicated to Din was in Akkala, in the heart of enemy territory. The Spring of Courage, dedicated to Farore was located in Damel Forest. And the Spring of Wisdom, dedicated to Nayru was located on Mount Lanayru, just east of Kakariko. Obviously, Din's Spring was out of the question for the time being, which left Nayru and Farore.

After a brief moment of consideration, he decided to go to the Spring of Wisdom first. That was the one Zelda was closest to, and he intended to report back to her as soon as possible, once his 'trial' was done, to tell her what he had learned. He also considered seeing her first, and then visiting Mount Lanayru, but he quickly disregarded that idea. Time was of the essence, as the Deku Tree put it, and he had not intention of spending unnecessary time.

 _To Mount Lanayru then._

* * *

Epona had slowed down quite a bit over the last few hours, and climbing Saharsa Slop certainly did not make her feel any better, but still, she trudged on admirably. Link wiped away the sweat on his forehead underneath his hood, and glanced at the late morning sun. He longed for the colder winds of Mount Lanayru.

The day before, he had cut across the countryside of eastern Hyrule Field to avoid the Eastern Front, and made camp late at night not far from Rebonae bridge. That morning, he arose at an ungodly hour and set his course for Kakariko Village, with the intention of reaching it by noon. Given the current time of day, it seemed he would achieve that goal, so he pressed Epona on.

Kakariko was bustling with activity by the time he reached it. Countless Hylian soldiers were station there, along with fully outfitted Sheikah Shadow Warriors, but they paid little attention to him as he passed by, hood and mask hiding his face. He rather wanted to avoid being recognized, mostly because he was unsure of how the soldiers would react if they saw him without the Princess. They might think he was 'up to something,' or that they would simply stop him out of spite. Either way, that was a prospect he simply did not have time for. If he had time, he would have stopped to rest, but now that he was traveling without the Princess, discomfort was something he could push past.

Luckily, he slipped through the village unhindered, and began his ascent to the Lanayru Promenade.

The loud activity of soldiers simmered down as he trotted further away from Kakariko, until at last the tranquil quite of the promenade was the purveying theme. As it was the last time he visited, there were no signs of modern civilization anywhere. Only decrepit ruins, and peaceful waters.

He allowed Epona to move on at a leisurely trot, eventually passing the East Gate, and out into the aspen meadow. Far above, the peak of Mount Lanayru shone brilliantly in the summer sun, its white snow and ice still blanketing the highest reaching points. As he had hoped for, the higher he and Epona began to climb, the cooler and more pleasant the air became.

As the day moved on, Link came closer and closer to the peak, opting to walk the last half-mile to stretch his legs, and allowing Epona some much earned relief. Still, Epona had no complaints it seemed. Link set her loose on the nearby trail as he finished the remainder of his trip alone under the now late evening sun.

The air began to grow much colder, turning Link's nose and cheek pink, but after pulling his mask back up, they warmed up nicely. Perhaps it was a little bit too cold, Link conceded. Regardless, he came to the edge of the Spring of Wisdom, and peered up the generous eyes of the Hylia statue. Link decided to quickly check his equipment before proceeding, just in case anything happened.

His crossbow, Clawshot, shield, dagger, Goddess Sword, and necklace that Zelda had enchanted for him were all set and ready to go. He stretched his arms and legs, and took deep, meditative breaths before finally kneeling on the dais before the statue of Hylia and began to pray aloud.

"Chosen mouthpiece on Nayru," he said nervously with his eyes closed. "As the Great Deku Tree has instructed me to do, I kneel before the Spring of Wisdom, and ask for your help in restoring the Master Sword to its sacred power."

He opened his eyes, but there was nothing. He decided to try again with a different approach.

"Naydra, Dragon of Nayru, I have come ask for your help. The Great Deku Tree spoke of a challenge you will offer me, to prove my worth of the Master Sword. Please, show me the way, so that I might fulfill my role as the Chosen Hero."

"I have heard your plea, Chosen One," a deep, but feminine rumbling voice answered. Link's eyes shot open, and looked above. From the sky there hung a swirling cloud of dark purple, and from it, a colossal beast drifted down in a gracefully slow and winding spiral. Its body was thin and long, much like a serpent, and it had three pairs of sharp and dangerous claws. On its back sprung light blue spikes of an almost crystal-like material, which were set in its blue and pearlescent scales. Its jaws bore many sharp teeth, and its eyes shone as bright as its ethereal body did. Link's jaw dropped with awe at the spectacular sight as the dragon slowly perched atop the mountain peak, and craned its large head down before Link's own.

He could feel its warm airy breath rush past him. It was surprisingly invigorating.

"Long have I hidden in the shadows to await salvation," Naydra began, taking deep breaths in between sentences. "Long have I been hunted by the Evil which seeks to usurp the sacred power granted to me by Nayru. You have done well, Chosen One, but as you are now, you do not possess that which is necessary to wield the Master Sword in its restored form without the Spirit of the Hero. A challenge I must offer you, to strengthen your resolve, and bestow upon you many gifts of the soul."

"What must I do?" Link asked wistfully after swallowing the saliva in his throat. He thought by now, he would not be so awe struck and speechless at the sight of tremendous and unbelievable things, but it seemed that even despite his ever-growing list of wonders, these things continued to shock him.

"Purge the corruption that has consumed Nayru, Chosen One," the dragon replied, tilting its massive head thoughtfully. "Only then will I be able to offer you my sacred flame." Link felt his heart seize up as hard as stone. How in the name of all that was holy was he supposed to do that?

"How, Naydra!? How can I do that alone? I barely survived last time I faced them, and I had the Master Sword _and_ the Spirit of the Hero with me then."

"But you _did_ survive," Naydra reminded him. "That is all that matters. And you have continued to survive, even when the fate of the world is unknown to all." There was a brief pause before the dragon continued. "Do not fret, however, for you will not face them all at once. Only Nayru will you battle."

"So I have to kill a goddess!?" Link shouted, disbelieving. "How is that even possible!? How can I even stand a chance against her?"

"No, you could never kill her," Naydra answered. "Your task is simpler than that. You are purging her of the foul magic that has corrupted her. Find peace in knowing that it is because of this magic, her powers are severely limited. If your previous exploits are to be considered, then you stand a chance of success."

"And I must do this completely alone?" he asked defiantly.

"Yes, Chosen One. As your predecessors have done before you, you must prove your worth alone to the sword on your back. Your ears are deaf to its wise words, but mine are not. Succeed in this trial, and I believe you will hear that which calls to you once again." Link took deep, shuddering breaths, ignoring the fluttering sensation in his stomach.

His head was racing. He was about to duel with Nayru. An actually, living goddess. Of course, he had fought them before, but that was long before he knew what they were. Something about this recent revelation sent his mind reeling. Never in a million years did he ever think he would end up here. It was almost a joke to think about the ignorant dreams he had as a child of growing up to be a brave Royal Guard, and nothing else. However, now he found himself at the feet of a mystical dragon, preparing to fight a goddess, one-on-one. The thought alone was too much to even comprehend. What would his father say if he could see him now?

"Very well," he said after his moment of reflection. "I suppose I am as ready as I will ever be."

"Good," Naydra replied. "Then I will pull upon the bond that connects me to my patron goddess. Steel your courage, Chosen One, and ready your body and mind. The Goddess Sword will be your weapon against the corruption. Do not hold back on your attacks."

"I understand," he said as he drew the Goddess Sword from his back, and equipped his crossbow in his off-hand, bolt knocked and ready to fire. _Wish I had some armor,_ he thought briefly. However, it seemed he would not have time. Naydra appeared to be in just as much of a hurry as the Deku Tree was.

The Void must have been approaching terrifyingly fast.

"Be warned, Chosen One. Once I bring the goddess here, she will stop at nothing to kill you. I would advise the utmost speed. The others goddess won't know what is happening for a long while, but if they catch wind of what is happening, then they will come."

"How will you bring her here?" Link asked, absentmindedly twirling the Goddess Sword's hilt in his hand.

"A bond of magic do I share with Nayru," the dragon answered. "She is my creator, and I am her mouthpiece in this world. Not even Ganondorf's corruption will stop me from wrenching on the strings of that tie. I believe she will be quite surprised by the time she arrives. I suggest you use this surprise to your advantage."

"Noted," Link droned, feeling anxious.

Without another word, Naydra lifted her head skyward, and peered into the evening clouds above. Its mouth opened slightly, and from it came a low, shaking humming noise that echoed across the mountain side. Its hum drifted in pitch and volume, almost akin to what sounded like a song. It was a haunting tune, but captivating none the less. Naydra continued to 'sing' for a while longer, until her gentle humming finally halted, and out burst a fierce growl that made Link's ears hurt. Once the song was done, Naydra's attention returned to Link.

"It is done, Chosen One. I await your salvation." And then in a flash of blue light, Naydra vanished out of thin air, leaving him completely alone on the mountain peak. The air grew colder, Link noticed, and even his breath began to coalesce in a white mist. The only noise he heard aside from his own breathing was the gentle breeze drifting by.

He scanned the sky and earth around him, awaiting his challenge with a cautious eye.

And then without warning a cracking noise thundered across the mountainside as a billowing mass of black flames plummeted to the surface seemingly out of nowhere, colliding with the rock and dirt in a display of all consuming smoke. When the smoke settle, Link saw the kneeling form of the blue-flamed specter, bent over.

The corrupt goddess of wisdom, Nayru.

Nayru's hands shuffled across the gravel as she tried to stand, but it seemed that the impact had stunned her slightly. Taking the dragon's words into mind, Link pulled the trigger on his crossbow, sending its barbed bolt careening forward, and imbedded it into Nayru's side. She screeched painfully in a deep howling cry, but Link wasted no time, and fell upon her with the Goddess Sword as soon as his bolt made contact. However, in a blur of movement, a long-blackened blade shot out from Nayru's hand, and caught Link's blade mid swing, instantaneously erupting into a molten blue flame. The impact sent spark of gold and blue scattering across the ground.

Link pulled his sword back, and readied to attack again, but before he could, Nayru spun herself on her free hand, swinging her long legs across the gravel, and kicked Link's footing out from under him. He landed flat on his back, shocked to find that she was all ready plunging her blade towards his chest.

Had he already failed? Was this already his demise?

Apparently, it was not, as suddenly Nayru's blade shattered mere inches away from his chest as it collided with a barrier of golden light. It seemed that Zelda's magic had fulfilled its purpose, and saved his sorry hide. He would have to thank her for that later.

Nayru, despite the lack of facial features behind the encompassing hood that concealed her face, seemed utterly shocked by the unexplainable occurrence. Link took this opportunity, and swung his sword right at her ankles, making contact with the metal armor that guarded whatever was underneath. His blade lodged itself into the armor with a satisfying clang, soliciting an angered, but pained howl from the goddess.

With her uninjured leg, she kicked him as hard as she could, once again contacting the protective barrier around him, but it sent him flying none the less. Link flew side over heels through the air, losing his grip on the Goddess Sword, until he struck the unforgiving gravel a few feet away. Acting on instinct, as soon as he was able to roll to his knees, he ripped his Clawshot from his belt, slipping his fingers into the grip, and pulled the trigger. The chain clattered loudly as the three pincers gripped onto Nayru's sword arm, and bit in.

Standing to his feet, Link yanked the chain with all his might, and engaged the gears to pull the chain back in, practically flinging them together. His feet dug into the gravel as the were drawn to each other at an alarming speed, but just before the made contact, Link raised his left foot, and landed it square in the goddess' chest, releasing the claw, causing her to fall back in a tumbling splay of black smoke, armor, and cloth.

Luckily, the Goddess Sword pulled free from its ensnarement, and fell to the ground nearby.

As soon as he regained his footing, Link dropped his Clawshot, snatched the Goddess Sword from the ground, and surged forward to bear down of the fallen goddess once again. However, the moment before his blade met her, she vanished in the blink of an eye, and reappeared a few feet away, floating in the air as she sent forth countless shards of glassy-stone in a scattered barrage.

Most of the projectiles glanced off of Link's barrier, but one particularly audacious shard lodged itself directly into the golden shield, sending a shockwave of cracks throughout its whole. Link knew he could not rely on the barrier to save him much longer, so he resolved to finish the duel as quickly as possible. Nayru vanished once again, and reappeared behind him, but he spun around fast enough to block her next swing of a newly formed sword, and even landed a successful slice across her midsection because of his success.

She was slowing down, Link noticed. He capitalized on that, and flung himself into a flurry of unmerciful attacks.

Most of the attack she blocked, but he managed to land several lacerations on her arms, cutting through the plates of her armor. Unfortunately, this fury of attacks also cost him the remaining reserves of his protective barrier, as it erupted at one last grueling slash from his opponent. The eruption sent a shockwave of energy that knocked the goddess a few paces back, so using the brief moment of respite, Link pulled his knights shield free from his back, and prepared to defend himself from the now potentially lethal advances.

To his advantage, however, Nayru's attacks were growing weaker by the second, and her teleportation grew less frequent.

Then at last, when it seemed she could not blink around any longer, Link herded her to the edge of the mountainside, blocking, parrying, and attacking his way forward, until at last he saw his opportunity to plunge his blade into her heart. With a loud battle cry, he lunged forward, and met his mark, and drove the Goddess Sword into Nayru's chest clear up to the cross guard.

The forthcoming scream punctured his ears, but she fought on no longer, except to wrap her long metal finger around his arms, and pulled him over the edge with her. Together they fell, crashing into the sharp rocks below, causing Link more than a few tear worthy cuts, pulled muscles, and bruises. They continued to tumble down the mountainside, until after a few more seconds of excruciating pain, they landed on the trail that led back up to the peak.

Link grimaced in pain and he struggled to even get on his hands and knees, grunting foul curses and profanities as he did. His vision was a little hazy, but as he looked around him, he saw Nayru prostrate much like he was, the Goddess Sword protruding from her back, devoid of all signs of blood. To his horror, she began to stand. Link tried to do the same, but as he did, his vision fluttered a little, and his balance failed him.

"Shit."

Nayru finally stood straight, and wobbled forward to him with an outstretched hand, but after taking her first few steps, she fell to her knees again, and her arms went limp. A long airy moan emanated from her mouth as she slouched down, defeated by the sword in her chest. Before Link could even try to stand, blinding white light flooded his vision as the once black form of the goddess exploded into an orb of holy light, knocking Link back onto his side leaving the tattered robes and armor of her corruption to fall ownerless on the ground.

And then the orb dissipated in twinkling sparks of immaculate golden light.

Link could barely believe his own eyes. He had done it. He had defeated a goddess. The Goddess Sword laid dormant on the ground as proof, tangled in the black cloth of the once-specters robes. He let out a long wheezing sigh, and for a moment he even chuckled with relief. Somehow, despite his odds, he emerged victorious.

"Yeah!" he shouted to the heavens, although he imagined Ganondorf was looking down on him. "How about that, you piggish bastard!?" Of course, there was no reply, but that only made his smug laughter better, even if it hurt his ribs a little. He checked his wounds again. It was nothing serious. A few bruises and cuts there, a few tears in his tunic, and a bit of mud smeared on his chin and undershirt, but there was nothing serious. It just hurt like hell, especially his head.

He sat down for a moment, and allowed the throbbing to stop, until finally he shook himself, and slowly stood to his feet, massaging a pulled muscle in his hip. He inched forward to where Nayru has vanished, and scooped up the Goddess Sword triumphantly, and sheathed it, but then something else caught his eye. He bent down and searched through the empty robes, until from them produced a small crystal amulet.

 _The mind control amulet,_ he realized.

With a zealous heart, he threw the crystal on the ground, and drove his heel into it, shattering it where it lay. It was not until after landing right back onto his business end that he remembered the shock wave it produced last time he destroyed one. Another foolish instinctive reaction, he surmised.

"Should've thought about that one, huh?" he scolded himself as he yet again stood to his feet. "Least it's over… For now."

As he walked back up to the mountain peak, Link nurtured his wounds, and continued to stretch his tender muscles, but feeling quite proud of himself. He even offered a prayer to Nayru, thanking her for not killing him, and praised Zelda for her miracle magic. Had it not been for her protection, he would have surely died. Perhaps things were not as bleak as they originally seemed.

Epona was nearby, seemingly a little spooked by all the loud noises and explosions, but once she saw him, she trotted over to him, and greeted him with a warm nuzzle. Link led her by the reins to the peak of Mount Lanyru, where he awaited for the dragon to return.

"You have proven yourself worthy of my blessing, Chosen One," Naydra said to him as she materialized before him, perched in her same spot. "It will be long until Nayru recovers, but I have sent her to a place that she may rest, hidden away from Ganondorf's prying eyes. I cannot thank you enough. Please accept these gifts I give to you."

Naydra bent down to his level, and closed her eyes. Link noticed a small beading light begin to form on the crest of her forehead, which only grew with time, until at last from it drifted out a small crystal of blueish hue, no bigger than the palm of his hand. The crystal came to float right before him, emitting a soft light. Before Link even had the chance to ask, Naydra began to speak.

"That is a gift from the goddess, Chosen One. It is called Nayru's Love. It was once a gift given to one of your predecessors, but now it shall pass to you. Take it in your hand, and you will learn of its purpose."

Cautiously, Link reached out with a delicate hand, and grasped the strange crystal with his fingers.

As Naydra had promised, the moment he came into contact with the crystal, his mind was flooded with the knowledge of how to use Nayru's Love. As if it had always been second nature to him, Link gripped the crystal in his hand, which now shone with a brilliant blue light, and slammed it to the ground at his feet. A ring of blue energy expanded from the center of his palm, and around him formed an ever-rotating barrier of translucent magic. Unlike Zelda's barrier, however, he knew Nayru's Love would protect him from all types of damage. Arrows, swords, fire, nothing would break the barrier.

The only draw back to this tremendous magic was that it tugged on his life force for energy. Every second that ticked away, he could feel the energy being pulled from his core, and supplied to the barrier surrounding him. All ready feeling admittedly tired from his previous fight, Link dispelled the barrier, and pocketed the crystal safely for later use.

"Thank you," Link said earnestly, although he anxiously awaited the far more important 'gift' he expected.

"And now, draw the Goddess Sword, Chosen One," Naydra commanded, and Link obeyed, holding out in front of him. "Fear not the flames, for they only consume forces of evil." Before Link even had time to ask what she was going to do, Naydra opened her mouth, and out from it spewed a stream of blinding blue fire that enveloped the blade of the Goddess Sword. To his surprise, the sudden force nearly knocked him off his feet, but he dug his heels in, and braced the blade of his sword with his off hand. He was overjoyed to find that the flames did not burn him at all. In fact, they flowed against his skin with nothing more than a chilling sensation.

It seemed very counter intuitive, but then again, who was he to complain?

The force that pushed against him redoubled in effort, so he matched it, and held his ground until at last Naydra's work was done, and the Goddess Sword retained its blue flame. However, the flames dispersed over time, only to be overtaken by a flash of light, and then all of the sudden, he noticed the Goddess Sword transform.

Its blade grew much longer, and its predominantly down-curved hilt curled upwards. Other than that, it remained relatively the same. However, something very familiar, and uplifting fell upon his ears. The soothing ringing song of the Master Sword had returned to him. Fi was still there inside, only he could not understand her yet.

"That is now the Goddess Longsword, Chosen One," Naydra said to him. "Two more trials you will face until it can be restored to the Master Sword."

"Farore and Din," aired.

"Yes. Greater challenges these will be. Soon, Ganondorf will know what has happened here, and her will take precautions against it. I would advise that you reconnect with the Descendant, and share with her this ̶ " The last of Naydra's words caught in her throat. She turned her head south, as if she had heard something. The dragon closed its eyes, and drew in deep breaths, locked almost in a meditative state before at last she slithered over to the southern edge of the mountain.

Taking interest in what she was seeing, Link also walked to the southern edge, and peered off into the horizon. In the distance, the fading sunset danced upon the ocean tides, and sillohetted the many cottages and houses of Hateno Village, which was overrun by Ganondorf's forces. However, Link did not have the eyesight to see much more than that. He looked up to Naydra questioningly.

"A battle has begun in that village," Naydra explained, without peeling her eyes away. "We must act quick, or else those released from Ganondorf's control will be slaughtered by their own." With a new-found urgency, Naydra lowered her head, and pointed one large eye towards Link. "Chosen One," she said, "climb upon my back. I shall carry you to the heart of the battle. Use your new-found strength to save those in need. They need you now more than ever."

Without a moment's hesitation, Link collected his gear, and secured it to his body before leaping up onto Naydra's back between two of her spikes, and held on. It took a while for his nervous excitement to catch up, and he began to squirm anxiously.

"I'm read ̶ " Before he could even complete his words, Naydra surged forward, and leapt over the cliffs edge, effortlessly suspending herself in to cool mountain air. The sensation of flying brought Link fond memories of riding his ancestors Crimson Loft Wing. In that moment, despite the oncoming battle, he was as peaceful as a monk meditating in his monastery. This is where he was supposed to be, floating in the cloud without a care in the world.

However, he reminded himself of the risks at hand. Down below, a small village of innocent people were being oppressed, and those who were broken from Ganondorf's hold were undoubtedly just as afraid and confused as the rest of them. That thought filled him with resolve, and he leaned forward to look gaze upon villagers below.

"Naydra, can you drop me off near that pond?" he shouted as he pointed to a solitary observatory on the highest point of the village. "I'll move on from there." Naydra did not respond, but he felt a shift in her heading, and they veered left. Anticipating what was to come, Link drew the Goddess Longsword, and readied himself.

It was finally time to set things right, starting with the liberation of Hateno. He would try to spare every Faronite he could, but he needed to do anything that was necessary to see to the safety of the villagers, and those who were broken from the corruption, and that meant killing. Such is the price of war.

* * *

He had not come back yet. He promised her would return within a few hours, and yet she was left to hide in the straw of their little barn, where she often took to just to have a moment to rest her swollen feet. True, her father was growing much older, and the invasion from the Wildmen certainly did not slow his blond hair from turning a pale white color from stress, but he was still a healthy and strong man, and knew the area better than anyone. It was very unlikely that he had gotten lost.

He had run that route countless times before without any trouble. He had never been late before.

She shuddered at the thought. Her father would not have been the first to been found out, and killed. The invaders always chose the most gruesome means of execution, to torment any who dared to communicate with the Hylian army just west of them. Her heart beat faster with dread as the passing thoughts of death surrounded her mind.

She had suffered so much at the hands of these vile men.

Losing her father would be the death of her. He was all the family she had left. Her mother tried her hardest to pull her own weight, but when she fell to a terrible illness, those monsters had deemed her unfit for work, and took pleasure in removing her head from her body.

It had been four months since that happened, and yet she still cried herself to sleep every night.

Her mother was such a sweet and kindred soul. Her long red hair had caught the fancy of many men when she was just a young lady, but never did her fidelity waver. She loved her father with every fiber in her body, but love was not enough to save her. When they lost her, it broke her father's spirit, and will, but he held on for her. They still had each other.

Her father barely spoke anymore. During the day, he barely showed anything other than restrained rage. However, instead of taking to murdering their oppressors, like so many other villagers had done, he threw every ounce of his strength into suppling the muscle and knowledge of herding sheep, just to appease their captors, all while feeding the Hylian Army with vital information.

He used to be such a kind and easy-going man, but now his heart was hardened, and all that ever passed through his mind was how he was going to make the invaders suffer for what they stole from them. She feared for what little remaining humanity he had left, but there was still hope. Even though his eyes were so full of anger, and pain, his heart softened to her.

When exhaustion was not enough to coerce her to sleep, he would comfort her in his arms, like he had done since she was a baby. She wanted to be strong, for him, but sometimes his love was all she had to stay sane. Goddess, how she prayed for his safety.

The throbbing in her feet pulled her from the ailed thoughts of her mind, so she leaned forward and began to massage them lightly, avoiding the countless blisters on the soles of her feet. Working dawn till dusk in the pasture, carrying a seven-month-old baby in her belly was brutal on her body. The baby seemed to dislike the way she was bent over, as it began to kick the inside of her stomach in protest. The slight pain made her stiffen her back, as she complied with her child's request.

"C'mon," she whispered to it. "Can I not even rub my feet?"

Of course, there was no other response apart from the ceasing of kicks. She prayed to the goddesses above that her child would not be violent and wild like the men that held their village captive. Bile suddenly threatened to spew into her mouth as her feverish thoughts returned to _that_ night.

Her lungs seized up, as they always did when the trauma of what happened to her haunted every corner of her mind.

It was the first night after they had arrived on the sea. By then, nearly all of the Hylian soldiers that were stationed in Hateno Village had been murdered by the overwhelming numbers. Her father tried to keep her safe, but he was not a fighter, he was a sheep herder. They knocked him unconscious before he even had a chance to retaliate. She tried to run, but they blocked every exit of their little cottage. She was trapped like an animal.

Tears ran down her cheeks as the memories of what happened sent shivers and pangs into her body.

They took her, one at a time. They ravaged her womanhood before she ever even got the chance to find a true lover. When they finally left her be, all she could do was sink to the floor, and wail until her eyes were bloodshot, and her voice completely lost from strain. She wanted to die then. She wanted to take a knife to her own throat, but she saw her father still unconscious on the floor, bleeding.

She could not abandon him. He needed her as much as she needed him.

Her mother suffered a similar fate, as did most of the women still of child bearing age, but when she awoke from the terror, she had to crawl back to their home. She possessed otherworldly strength of will. In her eyes, her mother was a goddess in her own right.

Until they killed her, she was the purveying source of strength in the young woman's life.

The helpless woman buried her face into her hands and a fit of sobs racked her body to the core. Her child kicked inside her stomach again, momentarily distracting her, so she cradled her belly in her arms, and tried to soothe its restless spirit.

The village healer assured her that the trauma would render her unable to bear a child, but after missing her monthly twice, that hope was shot down. That when she knew she was trapped with the child of their captors. When that revelation had come, she cried just as hard as she had when they first abused her, but her mother and father were there to hold and comfort her.

Many women would have driven a blade into the belly. In fact, many women had driven blades into their bellies, or even taken their own lives, unable to cope with the horror, but she was no ordinary woman. How could she take the life of the child she carried? It did not ask for this. The child was innocent of all crime. True, she was tempted to end both of their suffering, but something deep within her told her that she would be no better than the monsters that did this to her if she murdered the innocence that grew within her.

Despite all temptation, the deepest reaches of her heart could not bear the thought of killing a helpless child.

Someday, if they ever made it out alive, she would raise the child she bore to be a kind, caring, and brave soul. The life she bore would not be _his_ child, it would be _her_ child. She would shape her baby into something worthy of the goddesses' blessings. She would raise him as a true Hylian, not as whatever race these men were.

She found peace in that, at least. She could be strong for her child.

"Aryll," she heard a familiar voice cry to her. "Aryll, come quick! Its your father! They caught him! Please, hurry!" Her heart sunk to her stomach, and adrenaline surged through her body. She did not even put her shoes back on before she jogged as fast as her belly and blistered feet would allow.

"Where is he Regina!?" Aryll asked as she burst through the barn door.

"They're going to make a spectacle of him in the town center," Regina answered, practically catching Aryll in her arms, and held her in place.

"I have to go," Aryll shouted as she tried to push past her village friend. "I have to do something!"

"Aryll, please stay calm. We have to stay out of harms way." Regina leaned in and whispered in her ear so that no one else would hear. "The villagers are planning a rebellion. We won't let him die." Regina took Aryll's hand into her own, and began to tow her to the outskirts of the town center, avoiding all nearby enemy soldiers, until at last they came to peer over a small stone wall.

Aryll's heart stopped when she saw her father bound, and prostrate, a brooding dark-haired invader standing over him, flaunting a large axe in his hand.

Many of the invaders jeered and chanted words in their guttural language, riling each other up for the impending execution. The executioner in question pompously strutted around, twirling his axe in his hand before raising it high to strike her father down. Without any forethought, Aryll shot up, and screamed at the top of her lungs, drawing every enemy eye to her.

A moment of absolute silence passed, only to be washed away by countless villagers from giving out their loudest battle cries as they dove into action, and began beating the invaders littered in the town center with anything that could be used as a weapon. Shovels, pitch forks, walking sticks; everything was fair game. Regina grabbed Aryll by the arm, and began to pull her away, but she fought against her, unwilling to look away from her father.

She was not about to let her father die. Not without a fight.

However, amidst the brawl that insinuated, she lost all sight of him. She tried to climb the stone wall before her, but Regina wrapped her arms around her, and pull against her with all her strength.

"No Aryll! You can't! You'll get yourself killed!"

"I don't care!" she screamed as she helplessly flayed in her friend's grip. "I can't lose him ̶ "

Aryll's desperate pleas were cut short when there was a massive booming noise that shook the very ground around them. The fighting stopped for a moment, as each man and woman looked bewilderedly to the east.

And then something even stranger happened.

Nearly half of the soldiers that were scattered through the entirety of Hateno Village suddenly dropped their weapons, fell to their knees, and began to scream and wail wildly. The chaos that followed was simply to much for her brain to process. The Wildmen began to kill their own. All while the brave outfit of villagers fought on, the invaders that still stood began to cut the throats of their fallen brothers, and moved on to kill the rebels.

The villagers made a hasty retreat, as did Aryll and her friend, Regina.

Everywhere she looked, there was death. If it was not a villager, then it was on of the invaders, falling at the hands of their own kin. She did not even have to words to describe what was going on. Regina led her back to her cottage with as much speed as they could muster, and took shelter there, blockading their doors, and peered out the windows for any friendly faces they could save. Sure enough, as the anarchy of battle distracted their captors, many villagers scattered out to the furthest reaches of Hateno Village, and took shelter inside.

"Father!" Aryll screamed when she saw a familiar blond and white head peaking over the nearby hill, along with several other Hylians. She cried with relief. He was still safe, that was all that mattered. "Regina, help me get the door open," she shouted as she began to pull at the large cabinet they moved in front of the main entrance to her house.

If the child in her belly had any qualms with all the painful activity, she was not aware of it.

Sweat began to run down her forehead as they slaved away to remove their blockade, until at last she threw the door open, and in poured a frantic group of desperate escapees. Her heart leapt with joy when she finally laid her eyes upon her father's haggard, but whole face.

"Oh Aryll," he cried as he surged forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I thought I was going to lose you sweetheart!"

"Father, what is happening?" she asked urgently.

"I don't know," he exhaled. "I don't know. But I pray that this will break the stalemate, and we can receive aid from the west."

"How were you caught?" Aryll asked as she led him to a chair, helping him sit to relieve his trembling legs.

"I was on my way back across the Fir River, when suddenly I was spotted by a rogue patrol. I didn't have time to escape so they brought me back here, to show everyone the price of trying to deliver intel to our allies." Her father's attention turned to the other Hylians that were hunkered in their kitchen. "Hey, David, go to the basement, and search under the barrels stacked in the corner. There's a trapdoor there, and inside are a few swords. They're rusty and old, but they're better than nothing."

"Aye, Rusl," David responded as he made his way to the back room, which led to the basement staircase. When he returned, they distributed the three swords between them, and huddled together in the safety of their kitchen, keeping a cautious watch on the battle outside. It was horrifying to see the Wildmen turn on their own, even as some made an effort to run away.

"They're coming this way," Rusl said as he backed away from the window, and placed himself between Aryll and the doorway. Rusl, David, and the other Hylian villager all readied their poor excuses for swords, and anxiously waited to fight the oncoming horde. As Rusl had warned, the Wildmen battered against their door, slowly wittling away at their makeshift barricade, and cursing at them in their vile tongue.

And then something caught the invaders attention.

The whole group of them began to shout to one another, and pointed to the sky, before running for cover. Suddenly, a bright blue fire rained down upon the Wildmen as they ran in terror. The ragtage group of survivors all ran to window, and collectively stared in awe. In the sky flew a massive creature of blue and white, trailing orbs of ice spiraling all along its long snake-like body.

"A dragon!?" David gasped. No one had a response to give.

The dragon spiraled back round, until it landed near Zelkoa Pond, and from its spinney back leapt the slender form of a man, cloaked in a green tunic, his head covered in a hood. In his left hand there was a long sword of a whitish color, and on his hip hung a small crossbow.

The warrior, whoever he was, charged forward as if he had never felt fear in his life while the dragon took to the sky yet again. Surely the goddesses had sent them a demigod to save them. Who else would appear from the sky riding on the back of a dragon in their direst time of need? Aryll, her father, and the other Hylians continued to stare in awe as the green clad warrior made contact with his first opponents, dispatching them with lethal grace as his blade never ceased its rhythmic swinging, seemingly with as much ease as one would with breathing and walking.

Before long, a horde of ten or so surrounded the warrior, and for a moment Aryll held her breath, worried that he would fall, but the moment they all collapsed in around him, a shining blue light erupted from his hand, and all around him formed a barrier of angelic light. Their weapons glanced off of the barrier hopelessly, which the warrior took advantage of, either running his blade through them, or knocking them unconscious with the pommel of his unusual sword.

Aryll's heart beat with joy. A Hero had come to liberate them. The goddesses had finally answered their prayers.

The warrior continued to fight on, eventually coming close enough to their cottage window that they could see under the hood that overshadowed his face. Aryll expected a face more… Well, demigod-like. True, he had a handsome complexion, but she was dumbfounded to find that the warrior was so young. He looked just as Hylian as the rest of them.

Could that truly be all he was? Just a man?

For a moment, during a moment of respite between his fighting, he glanced over to the window, his blue eyes dancing fiercely in the setting sun. His expression was hard to read, but there was one thing to be sure of; he was fearless, and determined. His fighting only proved that notion.

"Who is he?" David asked, completely awestruck.

"I don't know… He's just a boy," Rusl replied. "But he has come to save our village… And we should do anything we can to help."


	39. The Battle for Hateno

_Chapter thirty-nine, The Battle for Hateno_

* * *

 _Minutes before the battle for Hateno Village_

* * *

"Zelda, what's wrong?" the Queen asked when her daughter dropped her fork with a dreadful expression of fear.

"Link is under attack," she gasped as she abruptly stood from her chair inside Commander Graysen's office dining room.

"How do you know that, my lady?" the aging Commander grumbled bewilderedly shuffling to his feet.

"I bound a magical barrier to him… I can sense it breaking." Without even excusing herself, she strode off through the front door, leaving her mother and the perplexed commander behind. Her mother was the first to chase her down.

"Where is he," she asked urgently as she matched her pace.

"I think… I think he's atop Mount Lanayru. It was so brief, I only got a glimpse ̶ " Zelda halted as another wave of power pulsed in her core. She closed her eyes and focused on the sensation. Before the sudden surge had ever happened, she could reach out with her mind and catch the fleeting trail he left behind, but the task took considerable concentration, so she only checked on him every so often.

Earlier that morning she felt him nearing Kakariko Village, so she assumed her was on his way back to her, but now he was not in Kakariko…

Zelda scrutinized the power within her, and confirmed the direction and distance between herself and Link. Spinning on her heel, Zelda looked to the eastern mountain ranges, but she could not see the peak of Mount Lanayru from the overcrowded Fort. Still, she was certain of his location now.

Link, for whatever reason, was at the Spring of Wisdom.

"Yes," Zelda said in a panic. "Yes, I can feel it. I need to go immediately. I should have never let him leave in the first place!"

"Zelda, calm down," her mother commanded, placing a stern but reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't do anything rash. Go to the stables and get your horse, and I will assemble an escort."

"Thank you," Zelda said over her shoulder as she began to run to the nearby stable, securing her short sword around her waist. Many soldiers asked if she needed help as she cut her way through the fort, but she brushed them aside, and maintained a constant speed all the way to the stable. When the stable boy took too long to retrieve Hansel for her, Zelda curtly excused him, and began to saddle her horse herself.

Zelda was not about to let Link be taken from her again.

She worked hastily, every so often feeling a surge of energy pulse through her body. Link's barrier was failing. Soon it would break completely. In fact, the moment she finished securing the last buckle of her saddle, she felt the barrier break all together, leaving only an inkling of his presence in her mind. Zelda denied all thoughts of him being dead. She could still sense the faintest glimmer of his life force now that she was desperately searching for it. Regardless, there was no time. Frantically, she leapt onto her horse, and spurred him into a gallop, weaving in-between the shocked knights that got in her way.

There was not enough time to wait for her escorts, she decided.

"Princess," one unfamiliar knight shouted as he snapped into action, and mounted his already saddled horse. "Where are you going?"

"Master Link is in danger," she yelled over her shoulder as she broke her way through the crowd out onto the more open road that led to Kakariko Village.

"Princess, wait ̶ " The knight's distant voice was cut off when a sudden explosion rattled the air as it echoed from the east. The boom shook the earth beneath them, causing her horse to rear up and panic. She fought desperately to regain control of her skittish steed. It took a steady hand, but eventually Hansel ceased his frantic braying, and settled down.

Zelda raised her heels to spurn him forward, but distant shouting caught her attention. One common sentence echoed all about the camp.

"To your stations," the men shouted in succession to spread the word, ringing the bells of war. "Prepare to charge!"

"Prepare to charge?" Zelda asked herself completely stunned by the sudden change. For months they had been locked in a bitter stalemate on the eastern front, and yet now, of all times, an opportunity to advance presents itself. Zelda contemplated what had happened, now that her brain had a moment to catch up.

There was something familiar about the ground-shaking boom. Something very similar happened when Link broke the amulet around one of the specters necks during the Siege of the Citadel. If that were the case, then that would explain the sudden order to charge. That would mean that many of the Faronite forces were release from Ganondorf's hold, giving them the much-needed advantage. Unsure of what to do, Zelda restlessly circled between her two options. Stay, or leave to find Link. A group of escorts met her outside the fort walls in a rush before she came to a decision.

"What is happening?" she asked hurriedly.

"The invaders. Some of them have just given up. Its chaos over there― my lady, where on earth are you planning on going to?"

Zelda contemplated his question deeply. If some of the Faronites were free, then that meant that Link was still alive. The explosion was proof that he had at least found some success in defending himself against the goddesses. Refocusing her mind's eye, she threw every ounce of her attention to wrap her presence around his, clinging to the power that coursed through his veins. She sighed with relief as she gained a new revelation of his wellbeing.

She could sense that he was still alive and healthy, perhaps a bit banged up, but still breathing and in fact feeling rather prideful and determined.

That was not something she was able to do before; sense how he himself was doing. However, seeing how distressed and worried she was because of him, it almost seemed fitting that her powers would grow to the occasion. After all, it was the love of her father that first awoke her mother's sealing powers, surely this was no different.

Returning to the decision as hand, Zelda considered her situation. She knew that Link was still well, which put her heart at ease, but the innocent Faronties and Hateno Villagers on the other hand… The bloodshed would be devastating.

She needed to be on damage control duty, otherwise the Hylian army would likely plow through every Faronish soldier, regardless if they were helplessly wailing on the ground, or still fighting under the corruption of Ganondorf. As much as it worried her to admit, she needed to stay and help where she could. Link would come and find her soon enough.

"Nevermind," Zelda told her rushed escorts, much to their confusion. "We are going to stay here. I can sense that Master Link is now safe." Zelda turned her horse back to Fort Hateno, and spurred him with her heels. "It's time we take back Hateno."

* * *

"How soon, my King?" Ganondorf asked, still bent over on his knees, wholly devoted to the darkened crystal in his hands. The strange jewel pulsated with black and crimson energy, which vicariously traveled through his own skin and continued to probe his body for energy. The ordeal was an excruciating and draining process, but he was committed to providing the power necessary to revive the Demon King to his true form.

Besides, when their sessions of transfer were complete, all he need to do was touch the limitless reaches of the Void to be filled with strength and power once again.

"Soon," Demise whispered in his mind. "The Void works ever closer to breaking into the forsaken world those damned goddesses created. Once I am returned to my true form, we will bridge the gap between this reality and the next to begin our conquest, with the Void to supply us with the energy necessary to destroy everything. You have served me well. But I suppose that is to be expected, you are the incarnation of my hatred after all."

A wicked and bolstered smirk stretched across Ganondorf's lips. It was true, he had indeed performed his task wonderfully… Except for failing to retain the accursed Chosen One. That was his one mistake. However, there was little the Hylian could do now, Ganondorf surmised. Even though he had managed to return to his world, the Hero did not possess the Spirit of the Hero, nor the Master Sword, both of which were necessary to defeat them.

"Do not let your mind fall to overconfidence," Demise scolded him with a vile tongue, having a keen grip on his consciousness. "Once did I underestimate the goddess-kind. I will not allow that to happen again!" Demise trailed off, once again returning to his cool and collected speech. "We must throw everything we have at them… I can sense the power of Hylia's descendant already. It seems her magic is destined to reach further than any before her. Once again, I say, do not underestimate them."

"Kivitzar," a raspy and deep voice whispered from the entryway to his personal study. Without taking his hands off the crystal he held, Ganondorf turned an ear to the pesky intruder.

"What?" he snarled indignantly. The corrupt goddess, Din, strode into the room like a snake would slither upon the floor, cold and silently. Speaking in the Old Tongue, she relayed what she had come to say.

"Nayru has fallen," she said without emotion. "We have lost all sight of her. A battle has begun in the eastern reaches of our conquest. Her fourth share of your army is rendered useless." In a flurry of blind rage, Ganondorf rose to his feet, and struck the specter with the back of his hand, despite the fact that she stood nearly two heads taller than himself.

He made sure his strike was strengthened by his magic, to reminder her of her place.

Din, being quite vulnerable to his magic could not withstand his hand, and fell to the ground as if she had not the strength to even stand. It hurt, but there was no rise of retaliation in her heart. Her mind was wholly dominated by him. Rebellion was not even an option she knew existed.

"How could you have let this happen!?" he screamed at her in the Old Tongue. Din rose to her feet, unfeeling to his hatred.

"We do not know, Master," she replied. "Something separated her from us. I believe that the Chosen One has taken Nayru's Chosen Mouthpiece as his confidant. Only she would possess the magic to take Nayru from our sight." Ganondorf took the liberty of striking her down again, until at last he recomposed himself.

"And what of our forces in Hateno?"

"With our numbers cut in half there, we will undoubtedly lose that battle. Farore and I could turn the tide, but Hylia's Descendent resides nearby… We would surely be brought down as our sister has been." Ganondorf sneered with vehement rage, and took to sulking in the amphitheater-like study.

"Withdraw our remaining forces from Hateno," he finally conceded. "We will take this opportunity to bear down on the north. Go now, and break the stalemate in the Lanayru Wetlands, while your precious Hylia Descendant is preoccupied in the east. Hateno is lost to us now. There is no need to waste able forces on holding it."

"Yes, Master," Din said before dissipating in a swirl of black smoke.

* * *

"Hurry," the young Hylian hero ordered urgently, keeping a constant vigilance around them. Aryll was to shocked to do anything other than follow his every command, as did her father and the other Hylians that took refugee with them. "Do you know this area?" he asked her father, motioning for them to hide behind a nearby boulder.

"Yes," Rusl answered. "I grew up here."

"Do you know of a safe place to hide?" the strange man asked. Aryll's father thought for a moment, and searched the country side with a quick glance.

"Yes," he answered. "There's a well-hidden cave near Nirvata Lake. We can cut through the grasslands to reach it."

"Good. All of you, go there as fast as you can. I'll make sure you are not seen." The strange her turned to leave, sheathing his sword as he worked to remove a strange object from his belt that sported some kind of metal claw.

"Wait," Rusl said. "Where are you going?" Without a moment of hesitation, the Hylian hero answered evenly.

"I'm going to help any villagers and freed Faronites."

"Freed Faronties?" Rusl asked perplexedly.

"The invaders," the hero explained in a rush, all while slipping the strange claw device onto his forearm. "They were once from Faron, but they set sail across the sea thousands of years ago. Ganondorf has put a spell over them to control their minds, and forced them to come back and invade Hyrule."

"What!?" Rusl asked, completely lost.

"There's no time," the hero declared calmly. "Get out of here while you can. I will send any I can save to Nirvata Lake." The young Hylian drew his sword and prepared to take off, but Aryll's father grabbed his shoulder.

"Thank you," he sighed, then cleared his throat. "Who are you?"

"I'm a Knight of Hyrule," the young Hylian said plainly, almost evasively.

"No, I mean, what is your name?" The Hylian's keen eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was surprised by the question.

"Link."

Rusl's expression shifted strangely, and he seemed to hold the young knight named Link in a different light. However, before he ever got a chance to inquire further, Link lifted his arm that was incased in the strange claw-like gauntlet, and took aim at a nearby roof.

Suddenly, there was a loud hissing noise, and the claw shot forth faster than an arrow, dragging a long rattling chain behind it, until it struck the soft wood of the roof, and clamped down. And then something even stranger happened. Link unexplainably went soaring through the air as the chain yanked him forward at blistering speeds, landing him safely atop the roof.

Each member of the Hylian villagers' jaws dropped at the peculiar sight. First, he came flying in on the back of a dragon, and now he himself was flying around with the help of that strange claw device, as if things could not get anymore bizarre. And on top of that, there was something else that seemed odd to Aryll.

"Father," Aryll whispered, still keeping an eye on the knight as he climbed up the steep stone-shingled roof. "Wasn't Link the name of Aunt Ellen's son? Before she died." Her father did not answer at first, as he was clearly wondering the same thing.

"Yes," Rusl finally replied. "But… I… It's been so long. I haven't spoken to Ellen's husband since her funeral..." Her father trailed off for a moment, gazing towards Hateno Village, where the mysterious Hylian knight now fought. "But, that doesn't matter right now," he finally said, gesturing for everyone to follow him east. "Let's get you all to safety. I'll come back and try to help the others escape."

* * *

Link thought it was strange the way the villagers looked at him. Why did _he_ specifically ask for his name? Not that it really mattered, but the oldest man in the group gave him the oddest of expressions. Perhaps they had somehow heard about him, and the things he was accused of, which would warrant that type of response. There were secret operatives in Hateno, Link knew, so maybe they had been feeding the villagers with news from the outside world.

The accusing, and then pardoning of the knight chosen by the Sword certainly would have been a big topic of discussion. Now that he thought about it, that idea made sense. They must have viewed him as unsavory, or dangerous. Why else would he have looked at him like that?

Then again, he had just flown in on a dragon of all things. Maybe they were just flabbergasted.

Returning to the task at hand, Link focused on his next move. In just a few short minutes, he had made his way to the center of the town, primarily avoiding skirmishes by jumping from roof to roof, or by using his Clawshot, and managed to lead a few more handful of villagers to safety. Whenever he did run into trouble, he tried his best to only incapacitate the Faronites still under Ganondorf's control, and fought to save as many lives on both sides as he could.

He and Zelda promised they would do everything they could to save her people too, and he intended to stay true to that promise.

However, amidst the absolute chaos, there were times when death was the only option. He attempted to be swift, and dealt death as painlessly as possible. The Goddess Longsword in his hand felt a little lighter than before, and the sweet ringing nearly blotted out all other noise and distractions in his mind. The overwhelming sense of rightness rung true in his heart, and he began to feel more in tune with the strange weapon he bore.

True, it was nothing compared to the strength and oneness he felt with the Master Sword, but it was getting there. He hoped that the completion of his next trial would allow him to once again hear Fi's voice. Having seen the height of his ancestors abilities wielding the Master Sword in its purest form, he was eager to do everything in his power to reach that potential.

A distant scream caught his attention, so he stooped over the edge of the village hut he perched himself from. Below, a gang of very angry Faronite Berserkers were bashing away at the door, to the absolute terror of the helpless villagers trapped inside. Link sprung into action, and leapt down from his hiding place, breaking his fall on the shoulders of an unaware enemy, driving his sword into his throat to end his suffering quickly.

He only felt pity in his heart now, but it had to be done.

With one member down, Link spun to face the remaining warriors, counting their numbers, and calculating risks. Five in total, he counted. Nothing to difficult. They cursed and sneered at him as they charged to meet him, but Link caught the blade of his first opponent with his own, kicking him in the groin, which downed him instantly, opening an opportunity for Link to knock him unconscious with the pommel of his sword.

It was a cheap shot, but it was better than killing him.

Sadly, he was unable to spare the remaining warriors, as they advanced on him too closely in rapid succession. Any other way would have ended in his own death, and that was not an option. He prayed MiarindÍl would forgive him. Within a minute, six bodies laid around him.

"Open the door," Link called out, peering in through the window to find a family huddled in the far corner of their kitchen. "Its alright, I'm a Hylian soldier. I can lead you to safety ̶ " His sentence was cut short when he heard and sensed someone charging to run him through the back. He barely managed to dodge the massive axe that came careening past his head, and sunk into the soft wooden exterior of the small village hut.

Now this Faronite in particular was massive. He was a good head taller than Link was, and his arms spoke of years of hard labor in life. Fortunately for Link, his opponent's axe was lodged so deeply in the wooden wall, that he was unable to pull it free. However, the Faronite intelligently decided to slam the full weight of his shoulder directly into Link's head as he stumbled for his footing, which of course sent him tumbling on the ground.

It gave the Farontie just enough time to wrench his axe free as he turned to stand over Link, his weapon raised high. Link already had his sword at the ready, and prepared to block the incoming swing, in hopes of being able to grapple the weapon out of his hands, and render his opponent unconscious.

However, that plan never had the chance to come to fruition, as a rusty blade was plunged through the warrior's chest, ending his life before Link could save it. The massive Faronish warrior fell lifelessly to the ground, revealing his killer behind him. Link was shocked to find that it was the same blond and white-haired man from earlier.

"What are you doing here!?" Link asked, both with concern and chastisement.

"Saving you," the man fired back, awkwardly gripping the sword in his hand. He was no soldier, Link determined. Just a farmer with a dull blade.

"I had it," Link retorted as he stood to his feet. "Besides, I got you out of trouble so you wouldn't have to be here. It's not safe out here."

"You don't think I know that!?" he replied rhetorically. "Besides, I can't just stand by while my neighbors are in trouble." In that sense, Link could not discount his bravery. He may have been a foolish farmer, but at least he was courageous and amiable.

"Well, if you're that insistent, then there's a family in there," he said pointing to the small hut as he stood. "Lead them through the alley way out into the open fields. I've been sending everyone to Nirvata Lake."

"I know," the man replied, already making his way to the door. "I've already seen them. They're singing the praises of a Dragon-riding Hylian boy. It seems many saw your entrance." Something that resembled an amused smile stretched across the man's lips, but it was brief. While Link kept a careful eye around them, the man began to persuade the terrified villagers to open the door.

"Joseph," he called through the window. "Joseph, its me, Rusl. We've come to get everyone out of here. Open the door." Silence followed for a time, until at last the tumbling of a metal lock finally turned, and out stepped a short and pathetically frightened individual.

"Praise Hylia you are here, friend," Joseph said nervously, taking his small daughter under his arm.

Suddenly, an arrow flew past Link's shoulder, and landed mere feet from the escaping family. With a keen eye, Link leapt into action, throwing himself in between the nearby archer and the desperate villagers. With a second to spare, he summoned Nayru's Love, projecting all of his energy into expanding the barrier just wide enough to shield the villagers as Rusl led them down the alley way, and out into a nearby wheat field.

"Run," Link screamed behind him as more arrows began to pelt his barrier, draining him of entirely too much energy. The moment the villagers disappeared behind the corner of the alley, Link dropped his barrier and rolled to the side, taking cover behind a barrel. Risking his head, he took two quick glances of the rim of the barrel, and came to the dreadful conclusion that he was being hopelessly surrounded.

 _One, two, three… eight. Shit._

Even more were closing in around him, Link having drawn their attention from trying to break into nearby homes. An endless barrage of arrows impacted the ground beside him, coming dangerously close to clipping one of his toes. He could hear countless voices shouting to one another as the barrage only increased. It seemed his opponents were quite happy with just pinning him down.

"Naydra," Link called to the sky. "I could really use some help right now." He waited for a moment, but no answer came. "Naydra," he shouted again, growing impatient. "Help me out here!"

Again, there was no answer. Apparently, he was going to have to deal with this one on his own.

Taking two deep breaths, Link slowed his heartrate, and focused on conserving the energy within, preparing to deploy his barrier again. And then something unexpected happened. In his brief moment of meditation, he felt something foreign brush against his mind. It was a soft, and gentle presence, but the more he focused on it, the stronger it became. And then it began to take on a very familiar form.

 _Zelda?_

Had she always been there? Had he just not taken the time to search for her?

" _Link?"_ Time stopped around him when her pure, and beautiful voice echoed in his mind. At first, he thought that perhaps he had just imagined it, but the presence within increased tenfold, crushing any doubt.

 _When did you learn to do this?_ he asked, tucking his knees in as the arrows continued to come closer to hitting their marks.

" _Just now… Link, are you all right!?"_ She sounded horribly worried.

 _Well… I'm in a bit of a tough situation. Surrounded by archers. But I have a plan. I'm just not sure I have the energy._ Link held the crystal of Nayru's Love in his right hand, gripping it tighter in his fingers as it began to glow.

" _No, just wait there!"_ Zelda said urgently. " _We're on our way. Our soldiers are pushing the remaining faronties to the east shore. We will be on the outskirts of Hateno Village in a few minutes."_

 _I don't have a few minutes,_ Link replied, calling forth the power to create his magical barrier. _I have enough energy to make it to shelter… I think._ He could feel the way his proposition made Zelda churn with discomfort, so he sought to reassure her. _I have a barrier,_ Link continued. _A gift from Naydra. It will protect me._

" _Naydra the dragon!? Like a magical barrier?"_

 _Yes, and yes._

" _And you need energy to supply it?"_

 _Yes,_ Link replied a little more hastily, fearing that his chance at escape was quickly fading. There was no more time, he decided, so he slammed the crystal in his palm to the ground, and summoned the blue barrier of magic, instantly feeling the terrible pull of energy on his lifeforce. It made his muscles sluggish and unresponsive, rendering him almost incapable of standing again.

" _Hold on sweetheart,"_ Zelda said to in a strangely amused and debonair tone. _"Try this on for size."_

Instantly, a surge of energy pulsated from the base of Link's neck, and shot down his spine in a wave of wonderfully electrifying shivers. The sensation was akin to being awoken with a bucket of cold water, only this was rejuvenating and brilliant. He felt like he could jump to the moon in that moment. Without even trying, Link expanded his barrier further than it had gone before, feeling almost completely impervious to fatigue.

"You're doing this!?" Link reveled both verbally and in his head.

" _Who else?"_ Zelda retorted sarcastically.

"Well don't stop," he said, jumping to his feet, and began to charge towards his opponents fearlessly. "I have some work to do."

Starting with the closest archer, Link disarmed the helpless soldier, being practically untouchable with the barrier Zelda now fueled with her own power, and knocked him unconscious. Even though he would not have admitted it out loud, a smug smile stretched across his lips as dozens of arrows bounced of his barrier, and he stood to face a legion of at least twenty men, all of which were helpless to stop him. In that moment, he felt powerful.

Reflecting on the matter, with Zelda by his side, he could be almost unstoppable.

Instinctively, Link dipped into the current of energy Zelda was sending to him, and used it to fill his muscles with strength and speed. In fact, it actually surprised him with how much her power affected him. Never had he run and fought so fast, and so effortlessly. At one point, as he drifted between two Faronites in a blur of green of gold, he caught on soldier by the belt, and wrenched him upwards, sending several feet into the air, landing him head first into the pavement, ceasing his resistance.

Before Link even realized it, the battalion of soldiers that had confronted him were strew on the ground before him, either dead or unconscious.

 _I suppose I own you a sincere thanks,_ he said to Zelda earnestly. _Not sure I would have come out on top without your help._

" _You can thank me later,"_ she replied, sounding a little tired. _"Stay safe, okay. We're getting closer."_ Before he even responded, he felt her presence drift away.

"Holy shit." Link snapped around, sword raised, but quickly lowered it when he recognized the voices carrier.

"Rusl was the name, right?" Link asked as he dropped the barrier around him. The ashen-haired man raised a brow to him, lips thinned, and nodded.

"Perhaps I should have asked _what_ are you, instead of who. First the dragon, now this… " Rusl motioned to the countless bodies scattered around Link. "Are you even Hylian?" Rusl's question was only met by a perplexed expression from Link. "Nevermind," Rusl continued, "you said your name was Link, correct?"

"Yes," Link replied curtly, already preparing to set out to find more villagers, always being mindful of potential nearby enemies.

"And where are you from?" Rusl pressed on, joining him in his search. For some odd reason, the man's questions seemed awfully pointed and uncouth. Link opened his mouth to reply, but the shouts of nearby warriors caught his attention.

"No time," Link said over his shoulder. "Stay in the shadows." Now that the sun had finally set, Hateno Village was plunged into darkness, which made it easier for Link to sneak around undetected. Rusl, despite his apparent occupation was able to blend in quite well, trailing closely behind Link.

Link could still hear the roar of war further east, where he imagined the Hylian army was busy forcing the invaders back to the coast. By his estimation, there must have been eight-thousand or so Faronites stationed in Hateno, and now nearly half of them were released from Ganondorf's control.

True, most of those released soldiers were probably already killed by their kin, but there was still hope to save at least a few hundred freed men.

"Turn left here," Rusl suddenly whispered to him. "There's a little outlook we can get a vantage point from." Link silently nodded, and followed his suggestion, taking an alley staircase up towards a small house with a good view from the front the walkway. When they reached the top, Link looked down, ducking slightly to see past the thick foliage of the nearby trees.

He spotted the source of the shouting. On a small roadway below, there were several Faronties dragging a family of villagers from their cottage, taking the time to punish them for their subordination, but paid little attention to the Hylian army that was surely marching upon their position. All around them laid the bodies of their fallen comrades, as well as motionless Hylians.

"I'll clear them out," Link whispered over his shoulder as he prepared his Clawshot. "You follow me up, and lead the villagers away." Link went soaring through the air before Rusl even had a chance to respond. The hissing noise of his Clawshot alerted the warriors ahead, but Link reached them before they managed to harm or kill the remaining villagers.

His fighting was quite lackluster after that point, in his opinion, now that Zelda was not feeding him with power, but he managed well enough. After defeating the small group of soldiers, he led the frightened family to Rusl, who was out of breath just trying to keep up with Link. They were just about to about to move on when suddenly from a far-off mountain range a flash of light caught Link's eye.

 _Boom!_

The sound finally caught up to the flash of light, immediately alerting Link as to its origin. The Faronites had set up cannons all along the narrow pathways of Ebon Mountain, and set to bombarding the countryside from afar. Six, then seven more cannons ignited, releasing flashes of fire that lit up the mountainside. Link's keen eye and ears detected an incoming round that whizzed through the air. Running off of sheer instinct, Link fortified the area around him with Nayru's Love, and caught the fiery round midflight.

The moment it made contact, Link collapsed to his knees, succumbing to the spike of fatigue the brutal impact caused, and let out a long, pained grimace. It felt like he had been kicked square in the chest.

"Hylia alive," Rusl cursed to him, barely catching him in time. "You okay kid?"

"Yeah," Link coughed. "The barrier… It takes a lot of energy to maintain."

"Well how did you hold it up so long last time?" Rusl asked tensely as he practically dragged him off the gravel road and back into the dark alley.

"I had help last time," Link gasped, finally standing to his feet, supporting himself on the wall.

"Who's help?"

"Princess Zelda's."

" _The_ Princess Zelda?" Rusl asked, disbelieving. "Who are you exactly?"

"Her Appointed Knight," Link answered, finally mustering enough strength to push off of the wall he leaned on, and began to shuffle forward. "Listen Rusl," Link continued, cutting him off. "I know you must have a lot of questions, but this isn't the place or time. Can you get them where they need to go?" Rusl's already stern face grew a little sharper, but he did not press in any further.

"Yes, I'll met you back here as soon as I get them into the pasture. They can make it from there."

"If you can't find me when you return, be careful, and don't get yourself killed," Link warned, glancing at the fires that were already beginning to spring up across the town. "I will see what I can do about taking those cannons down."

"Stay safe yourself," Rusl replied, taking the terrified family under his protection, and speaking to them reassuringly.

Link took a brief moment to recuperate, a bead of heavy sweat collecting on his forehead, and struck back out into the dark of Hateno Village. Using his Clawshot, he clambered up onto a steep roof, and gazed out onto the various fires that dotted the town. Flashbacks of Tarrey Town peirced his mind, but he steeled his resolve, determined to not allow the same horrendous even happen again.

"Chosen One," Link heard overhead. He peered up to the starry sky, beholding the majestic dragon, Naydra. "Join me. We must lay waste to the machines that fire from the mountainside."

"You know," Link shouted as he took aim with his Clawshot, accounting for the distance between himself and one of Naydra's talons. "Could've used your help earlier." He fired the Clawshot, sending the chain whirling through the air until it met its mark, and latched onto Naydra's talon, which she secured by closing her fingers.

"There was little I could do short of raining fire down on them. Killing them is what you wish to avoid if possible, is it not?" Naydra replied rhetorically as Link soared through the air. "Besides, the Descendant has learned a valuable skill because of the predicament." Link held on to his Clawshot with both hands as Naydra drifted gracefully through the night sky.

"I guess you have a point," Link grumbled, gazing at the ground below. From this vantage point, he could see the Hylian army advancing on the bulk of the Faronish forces just north of Hateno Village.

"I will drop you off at the peak of Ebon Mountain," Naydra said, her deep voice cutting through the windy air. "I will offer you support if I can, but I cannot guarantee the survival of the Faronites I attack."

"Thank you," Link replied, "I will call on you only if it is necessary."

"Very well, Chosen One." With that said, Naydra craned left, and began floating closer to the flat peak of Ebon Mountain. It only took a minute to reach, but Link was loathed to find that the Faronites began to fire at them with arrows. A few bounced off of Naydra's scales, but by some miracle, none came close enough to hurt Link. His luck held out long enough for him to release his grip on Naydra as he fell a few feet, and broke his fall with a roll atop the grassy ground of Ebon Mountain. His right arm fell laxly to his side, being painfully tired from supporting his whole weight.

"That's going to be sore in the morning," he mumbled to himself as he drew his sword and made his way to the spiraling trail that led down the mountain. Using stealth as his main source of advantage, Link observed the cannoneers, and determined his plan of attack. Speed, he decided, would be of the essence to overwhelm the eight two-man teams that unleashed endless barrages of cannon fire.

With the Goddess Longsword in hand, Link snuck his way to the first deployment, and prepared his assault, timing his attack with the loud explosions to muffle the noise his attack would make. If he was fast enough, he could finish them off before the others even had a chance to notice. Three cannoneers loaded their barrels, and prepared to fire, so Link surged forward, and knocked the first soldier out with the pommel of his sword, then spun on his heel as he kicked the other right on the left temple, rendering both unconscious.

Martial arts were never his forte, but he thanked Captain Kerrigan for his stern teachings then.

 _One down,_ Link thought as he snuck onwards, and repeated the process at the next station. Both his second and third attacks went without a hitch, but fatigue made his fourth a complete failure. When his deft strike only stunned his opponent slightly, the remaining seven soldiers all rushed to their comrade's rescue.

As much as it drained him to do so, he activated his barrier, and flailed his sword wildly, cutting them down. When the ordeal was done, Link fell to his knees, gasping for air. His remaining energy was running terrifyingly thin, but he was just glad that he ended the cannon fire.

He thought to ask Zelda for just a quick stream of energy, but after trying to reach it, it was apparent that he was not capable of contacting her first. It made sense, he supposed, that it was necessary for her to bridge the gap first in order to communicate. Luckily, Naydra soon reappeared, from the cover of the clouds above, and drifted down, landing on the mountain pass.

"Most of them are dead," Link said in a heavy breath, still kneeling. "Can you carry the unconscious ones away? I would hate for them to reawake, and begin firing the cannons again."

"I can, Chosen One," Naydra replied as she slithered forward. "Climb upon my back. It is time you rendezvous with the Descendant. Your energy is failing you. Fear not for the villagers below. Those houses that burn are mostly vacant. I can sense that the Faronites are retreating."

"I can't argue with that," Link sighed, struggling to lift himself up onto her back. However, after a long strain, he finally straddled Naydra's neck, and signaled that he was ready. After scooping up the unconscious Faronties in her claws, Naydra took to the sky, directing her course to the battle front.

Down below, Link saw the remaining forces of Ganondorf tucking their tails and running to their ships in Hateno Bay. The moment admittedly felt like quite the triumph.

" _Link, are you all right?"_ he suddenly heard Zelda whisper to him in his mind. She sounded horribly exhausted now.

 _Yes, I am on Naydra's back. I'm loathed to admit I don't have the energy to keep fighting._ The sweet relief of her power tingled down his spin, rejuvenating a small amount of his energy, which he was tremendously grateful for.

" _Were you the one who took out those cannons?"_ she asked.

 _Yes,_ he beamed. _I hope it was helpful?_

" _Very much so,"_ she replied cheerily. _"Get down here as soon as you can. I want to see you with my own eyes."_

 _Yes, my lady._ At his wish, Naydra began to descend to the surface below, however she chose a peculiar spot to land. Link could see the faint line of Hylian forces halting their march as the Faronites continued their retreat, leaving a wide-open field between them.

"Is there a better place to land?" Link shouted. "I would hate to make a scene below." Naydra, however, seemed to think otherwise, as she ignored his question and continued to spiral down to the surface until at last she landed a few hundred yards in front of Hyrule's army. The weight of over a thousand eyes fell upon Link as he nervously hopped down from Naydra's back.

" _Quite the flair for the dramatic, wouldn't you think?"_ Zelda teased him.

 _You think I wanted this?_ Link fired back, feeling a nervous heat on his face. He pulled his hood over his head, childishly hoping to hide himself. "You know, you could have dropped me off somewhere a little more… Secluded," Link said as he peered up to Naydra's massive eyes. They blinked unapologetically.

"I know Chosen One," she whispered in a warm breath. "That is why I decided to leave you here instead."

"Why, might I ask?" he asked indignantly. A hissing laughter emanated deep from her throat as she shot up into the sky, and disappeared in a swirling cloud without any explanation to her decision. She at least made sure to leave the unconscious Faronties in her claws safely on the ground. Link swallowed the saliva in his throat as he turned back to the Hylian army, and began to walk forward, trying his best to hide his slight limp in his walk caused by his exhaustion.

Keeping his eyes strictly facing forwards, Link pressed on as the soldier before him parted, and allowed him to pass, their expressions hidden behind their helmets. The absolute silence made Link squirm awkwardly on the inside, but he mustered as stoic of a face as he could. What were they thinking of him? Was it contempt? Fear?

Surely it had to be one of those. What else could it be? At this point, Link was certain at this point nothing would earn him their respect, so he was quite assured that whatever they were feeling towards him had to be negative. He tried to place himself in their shoes, viewing it from their perspective.

He thought about how would he have felt if someone he absolutely despised suddenly flew in on the back of an all mighty dragon, after being absent from the whole battle. Under that guise, there was no doubt he looked like a cocky, smug attention seeker who showed up at the last minute just for the glory. He had dealt with people like that before. Those who were all bark, and no bite. Distaste was a mild way to express the sensation.

However, that was obviously not the case at all. He had been there for the whole battle, just on a different front. And, in addition to that, he did not ask to be dropped up in such a showy fashion. Pomposity was not a trait he possessed, nor desired to possess. Seeing no alternative, he made his peace with the fact that no matter what he did, they would always view him negatively, so he took a deep breath and let go.

Its not like he could ever expect them to treat him like a hero. Heroes were supposed to be infallible, but Link was nothing further from that truth, at least in his opinion. Besides, its not like any of this was a surprise to him. All that mattered now was that he did everything he could to be just _enough._

" _I think they're a little awestruck,"_ Zelda said to his mind, tinged with amusement.

 _I doubt that,_ Link responded earnestly. _They're probably glaring under their visors._

" _Why would you think that?"_

 _When have they ever done anything less?_ Link replied. _Before I was a despised Chosen Hero, they looked down their noses at me for being 'too above my station.'_

" _So much inner turmoil,"_ Zelda said lightly, almost teasingly. _"Don't worry about what they think. Worry about what mother and I think."_

 _And what do you think?_ Link shot back sarcastically.

" _You already know,"_ she nagged. _"Now get over here. You feel like you're about to collapse."_

 _Hylia forbid I look any less hero-like,_ Link said cynically.

Pressing along with a faster pace, Link weaved his way through the ranks of the Hylian army as they began to shift back into movement, taking aim for the heart of Hateno Village. Before long, he finally made it to the center of the army, where the Queen, Princess Regent, and the officers of Fort Hateno all waited, mounted on horses.

"You had us worried, Master Link," the Queen said kindly as he bowed before them.

"I would be lying if I did not say the same, your grace," Link replied intelligently, ignoring the swaying of his tired muscles. He looked over to Zelda, and dreaded to find that she looked just as drained, if not more drained of energy as himself. Her eyes were faint, and she slouched slightly in her saddle.

"Are you all right, my lady?"he asked worriedly.

"I am. Just very tired. It took a lot of power to provide you with enough energy to fuel your barrier." Guilt panged Link's chest as he chastised his overdrawing of her power.

"Forgive me," Link said with frown. "I did not stop to think that it would affect you like this, my lady."

"Not to worry," she replied with an honest and dear smile. One that melted away his previous discomforts. "You did what was necessary. I will be fine, but you look like you're about to pass out. Where is your horse?"

"Still on Mount Lanayru, I think." Link paused for a moment wobbling slight. "But I'll worry about that later. We need to send rescue parties into Hateno Village. If those fires spread, I fear we will lose more."

"Quite right," the Queen conceded. "Commander Graysen, see to it fire brigades are dispatched immediately. Captain Herin, if would please find a horse for Master Link to ride, and then follow behind Commander Graysen along with the Lieutenant and prepare rescue teams to search every house for survivors."

"There are many survivors at Nirvata Lake," Link cut in, looking to the Captain. "One of the villagers helped me get a score of families to safety. His name is Rusl, if you meet him. Seems to know the land and people well, I would suggest organizing with him."

"I will, Master Link," the Captain replied hesitantly, spurring his horse along. "And I will have a horse sent to you."

"Thank you, sir." Link saluted as the officers dispersed, leaving only the Queen and Princess before him.

"I imagine there is a wild story that will explain all of this," Zelda said, gesturing to the land around them.

"You have no idea…"

* * *

It was only a few hours shy of dawn by the time Link finally fell into his bed. Already his muscles ached from the strenuous activity of battle, but he slept easy that night. While the Princess and Queen made camp in the upper floor of the disheveled inn, Link insisted on sleeping on the lower floor, so that he could be the first obstacle anyone with ill intent would face. Even with countless guards on duty, he took no chances.

It took nearly an hour to explain everything that had happened to the Queen and Princess, as they often stopped him for pressing questions and concerns, but after they had exhausted every discussion and plan, fatigue took its toll on him and the Zelda. Link tried to hide the flare of pride within himself as they wholeheartedly listened in amazement when he described his battle with Nayru, but he could not deny that he was rather proud of his accomplishment. Reports of survivors also came in later in their discussion, along with estimated death tolls. Of their own forces, they had lost under a hundred soldiers, and far fewer villagers. Of the Faronish forces, however, their losses reached nearly a thousand. Most survivors were those who were released from Ganondorf's hold, but among them were also those still trapped by his spell, and had to be restrained once they awoke.

Word started passing around among the villagers, most of which rotated around the heroic deeds of a Dragon rider, who some foolishly described as a demi-god with magical powers. While the soldiers were quick to dispel that rumor, none could deny that perhaps this 'Knight of Scorn' was something more than just a knight. It was true that they were awestruck by the sight of the one who was declared the Chosen One descending on the back of a mythical dragon, but they still had their reservations about the Princess' Appointed Knight. With so many bizarre and unexplainable things happening as of late, none were quick to give into such fanciful ideas. His presence made them a little unsure.

Although, this was all unaware to Link, for sleep was the only thing that held his attention.

That is why he was quite angry when he was awoken by a rather curt messenger after only a few hours of sleep.

"Master Link," the military courier said, knocking on his door. "Someone has requested to see you. He said it was urgent."

"Who?" Link grumbled.

"Some villager named Rusl. He said you two worked together to help some survivors." Link let out a long, tired sigh before finally sitting up in his bed.

"I'll be out in a few minutes," Link finally said, rubbing his eyes and face. He was certain he could sleep for the rest of the day. Was that how Zelda always felt after over exerting her powers? If it was, then his already deep-rooted admiration for her only grew deeper. She was truly something extraordinary.

After a minute, Link finally stood, and began dressing himself after washing his face in a basin of cool water. He would have shaved, but his razor was still in his saddlebag, which was on Epona, who was goddess who knew where now. He hoped she was okay. She was an intelligent horse, after all. He was certain she would be fine. Perhaps she returned to Kakariko.

Link cinched his belt around his waist, when he remembered something important. He quickly opened up the leather pouch on his belt, certain that the Silent Princess inside would be completely wilted and destroyed, but to his astonishment, the beautiful flower seemed almost untouched. His studied it with a critical eye, certain that they were deceived, but after examining it between his fingers, the immaculate blossom still had retained its elegant color and shape.

There must have been some kind of magic about those flowers. No wonder they were so rare. His heart beat with nervous joy. It would make a sentimental present for his beloved Princess, however, that was thought for another time.

After securing the Goddess Longsword to his back, Link left his room, and exited the worse-for-wear inn to be greeted by none other than Rusl.

"I'm glad to see you're safe," Link said groggily, but honestly. "What can I help you with?"

"What was your mother's name." Rusl blurted out suddenly with an intense gaze.

"Excuse me?" Link asked, dumbfounded by his question.

"You are from Castletown, correct? You were born to a blacksmith, but your mother died during birth?" Link's words caught in his throat when he realized what was happening. Absentmindedly, he reached up to feel the necklace around his neck.

"Ellen…" Link said almost in a whisper. "She was from Hateno Village."

"And she had a son. A son named after the King, and all the Heroes of Old. She had you. My sister left our home, and moved to Castletown, where she married your father, and gave birth to you." Without another word, Link removed his mother necklace, and held it in his palm, tears welling in his eyes.

"I didn't know she had any family left… I had hoped, but… Father never spoke of you."

"After her death, we broke off all ties to one another," Rusl said sadly. "I blamed him for taking her away from us… I blamed her death on him. I was so angry for so long." Rusl's overtly stern face softened before Link. It was so full of pain and sorrow, but there was a glimmer of hope. "You look just like her, you know. You have her eyes, and her hair." Rusl gazed down at the necklace in his hand and smiled bittersweetly. "She had that necklace ever since she was just a child. It was the only thing of her old life she took with her. I'm glad to see that its lived on."

"My father gave it to me before he died," Link aired, emotions swirling inside his chest. Rusl's smile downturned again. "I thought that I was alone…"

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rusl said honestly. "We had our disagreements, but your father was an honorable man. Although, I would not have admitted that eighteen years ago."

"Is there any more?" Link asked urgently, changing subjects. "Did my mother have any more siblings?"

"No. It is just me," Rusl replied. "But, you do have a cousin. My daughter Aryll. She is near your age." Rusl turned for a moment, and waved at a young woman of long golden hair, much like his own. Observing her, Link could see the family resemblance clear as day. What stuck at the most however, was her bright blue eyes, which undoubtedly outshone his own by a long shot. He remembered seeing her briefly the night before, but he was in such a rush he had not paid her a second notice. As she began to waddle over to them, her infectious smile beamed ear to ear. Link immediately found a kindred soul within her. He was at a loss for words, to say the least, but apparently, she was not.

"Is it true?" she asked with a hopeful smile. "Are your really Aunt Ellen's son?" All Link could do was nod, and hold out the necklace in his hand.

"That used to be hers," Rusl whispered.

"Well," Aryll exclaimed with a sweet and airy smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, cousin." Despite her enormous pregnant belly, Aryll took him by complete surprise and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him like they had known each other their entire lives. By that point, Link was an emotional wreck on the inside.

After so long living without his father, believing that he was completely alone, he had finally found family. And by miraculous odds, at that. Wrapping his own arms around his sweet cousin, Link offered a silent prayer to Nayru, certain that this was a gift she had given to him. A gift that meant more to him than any magical crystal.

He had family, he kept reminding himself, his heart surging with happiness.

Perhaps Ganondorf had not taken everything from him. He had killed his mother, tortured him, secured the end of his bloodline, destroyed all prospects of a future with his beloved, but he had not taken the last of his family. Link was not alone.

However, one terrifying thought crept into his mind.

He found a new source of fear that he had lost the day his father died. What would he do if he lost them? What if Ganondorf got his hands on them? More, now than ever, Link was vulnerable. Terrifyingly vulnerable. Between his beloved Princess, his closest friends, and now his family, he feared that they would all be used as leverage against him. In that moment he swore that he would do everything in his power to keep them safe.

He would lay down his life for them. He would suffer the torment of Ganondorf's torture all over again, just for them. It did not matter what would happen to him. The only thing that mattered was that they were all kept safe.

Maybe one day, when the world was safe, and if he did not die, he could come and live a simple life in Hateno Village.


	40. The Second Trial

**Authors comment:** Can you believe its already been forty chapter!? Because I know I cant. I never intended this to be a 300,000+ word story, which could very easily dip into 400,000, but hey I've had a tremendous time writing it, and reading all the wonderfully kind and encouraging reviews make it that much better. Seriously, you guys and gals make it all worth it.

Not to mention this story just hit 11,000+ views. :O

Please enjoy this next chapter. I probably won't be doing much writing this weekend because of the holiday, but I will definetly try to respond to some of y'all's questions and comments. Fret not, however, I will be back in full force, and hopefully be able to finish this story before the start of the school year. Boo college.

* * *

 _Chapter forty, The Second Trial_

"She and I grew up here," Rusl said sorrowfully as he knelt beside the pile of ashen timber and crumbled stone that used to be a quaint cottage. Unfortunately, the scattered fires from the night before had claimed his uncle and cousin's humble home, leaving only the foundation to lie dormant in a heap in the early morning sun.

"I'm sorry to see it like this," Link aired in a long melancholy sigh. "I wish there was something I could have done sooner."

"We all do," Rusl replied sagely. "But, I suppose all things must come to an end. We still have our land at least. We can rebuild."

"What will you do in the time being?" At this question, Rusl looked over to his dear daughter, who sat rather uncomfortably on a wooden crate, nursing her aching feet. Seeing her struggle with bearing such a heavy burden made Link's heart rack with pity. He decided he would seek out one of the Royal Physicians on staff, with the Princess' permission, to check on her later.

"For now, we will evacuate with the rest of the villagers, to Castle Town," Rusl replied with no small amount of frustration tinging his tone. "I hate leaving our home like this, but we have no choice. Not with Aryll as she is. She needs a place to stay with a roof and warmth."

"Then I insist that you take refuge in my home," Link was quick to declare. "It has remained mostly unused by me, since I have my quarters in the Castle, but I have a landlord who tends to the place when I'm gone. I will also see to it that Aryll has a physician and a midwife to check on her as often as you need." Both Rusl and Aryll's eyes sparked with surprise and disbelief.

"You would do that? For us?" Aryll asked in her small but kindhearted voice.

"Of course," Link said resolutely. "You are the only family I have left. I would do anything." This seemed to settle the disbelief in their eyes, much to Link's joy. "There would be work there too," Link continued. "I have a dear neighbor who could teach Aryll to knit and sew, if she does not know already, and I'm certain the nearby farms and ranches will need hands to help support the influx of refugees. Of course, you won't need to worry about food or money, I can ensure that is taken care of."

"I can never thank you enough," Rusl said with a newfound gentleness, "but do not worry about providing money for us, we can take the work. You are giving us more than we could ever ask for. The least we can do is help pull our weight."

"Uncle, truly, I want to help in any way I can. Money is not important to me, it does not hurt me to give it all away. I just need you both to be safe and looked after."

"And we will be just fine," Aryll cut in gently. "We've made it this far. Shelter and security is all we could ever ask from you. We can provide the rest, dear cousin." With that said, Link could argue no further, but he thought he would just leave the offer standing, just in case.

"Well, it is an open door," Link conceded. "Please don't hesitate to take what you need ̶ " The end of his sentence hitched a little when he felt Zelda's golden presence brush against his own. It was brief, but soft, sending shivers down his spine.

 _Princess,_ he whispered in his head. _I found them. I found my family._

The Princess did not respond verbally, but the way her presence swirled and radiated in his head keyed him in on her surprise and joy well enough. Some of that emotion seemed to spew into his own, as a smile began to stretch across his lips. He could already sense her rushing to meet him.

"What so funny?" Aryll asked, matching his smile.

"Nothing… Well, you'll see soon enough," Link replied mysteriously, the object of his mysticism already walking not to far away. "May I introduce you to the Princess Regent of Hyrule," Link said without even needing to look behind him as he bowed ever slightly, stepping back.

"I understand you are Master Link's last remaining relatives?" Zelda asked in a regal, but ever so kind voice. Link glance back to her as she continued to approach the enamored and speechless Hylians before her. Even dressed in her sturdy travel gear, armed with a sword, and her hair pulled back into a neat braid, to Link she looked as every bit stately and beautiful as she did in her fine dresses.

Not that tried to pay to much attention to that, but he could not help it. Although he did feel a tinge of nervousness when he remembered the Silent Princess tucked safely away in his belt pouch. He was unsure on how to give it to her without sending the wrong message. The one he desperately wanted to send, but should not, and could not.

"Yes, my lady," Rusl finally stammered as he bowed slightly. Aryll shifted to stand from her wooden crate, trying her best to not wince.

"Please, dear," Zelda said, her hand held out reassuringly. "Don't stand for me. I insist you sit and rest your feet. You've been through far enough."

"Th ̶ Thank you, my lady," Aryll stuttered, awkwardly half way between sitting and standing. "How did you know about our relation?" she continued. "We only just confirmed it this morning, but Link hasn't left since then…"

"Oh," Zelda chuckled, shooting Link an amused glance over her shoulder. "Just a little magic," she replied mysteriously, tapping her finger of her temple as if to indicate something pertaining to the mind. Both Rusl and Aryll nodded with understanding, although they could not wipe the expressions of wonder off their faces.

"If I may ask…" Zelda continued, her regal posture melting away as she took to a more personal tone, waiting to lean her name.

"Aryll," she answered.

"Aryll," Zelda said with a smile. "How far along are you?" she asked gesturing to her belly.

"Almost eight months," Aryll answered hesitantly, a painful fear hidden behind her deep blue eyes. Judging by her response, Link could sense something was not right. Now that he thought about, there was no mention of her husband… Was her child illegitimate? Or perhaps her husband had died somehow?

Link tried to gauge his uncle's stern face, but he only found a strain of anger in his eyes.

And then a third option occurred to him. An option that made his blood boil. If his previous experiences with the way Ganondorf turned the Faronties into savages worse than monsters held true, rape seemed like something that would be all too commonplace, almost expected. Zelda seemed to perceive the same thing, as he felt her presence grasp his, wrought with concern.

 _There is more to that,_ Link warned. _I would step lightly, Princess. I would hate to dig up anything that would hurt her emotionally._

" _I can sense it too,"_ she replied knowingly. _"A better time perhaps."_

"I offered for them to stay in my home," Link joined in. "Aryll will need a safe place to rest, so I thought there would be no better place for her and Rusl."

"I am glad to hear that," Zelda chimed, smiling intelligently. "I will personally see to it that you are given proper medical care for when the time comes for you to give birth." Link could not suppress his smile when Rusl and Aryll's jaws dropped yet again.

 _I offered them that too,_ Link said to Zelda. _I don't think they truly believed me at first._

"I don't know what to say, my lady," Rusl muttered nervously. "I would do anything for my daughter, but I would hate for us to be a burden. Are you quite sure?"

"I am quite sure," Zelda replied with a reassuring smile. "Master Link has done so much for this kingdom, I swear on my blood that I will see to it that he and his family are looked after. What kind of Princess would I be if I did not look after my people?"

"Thank you, my Princess," Rusl said earnestly, bowing slightly. "I must insist that when things return to normal, you will allow us to offer you any payment within our grasp. For generations we raised the finest sheep, and spun the finest wool in our village. It would be my honor to offer you only the best of what we can produce."

"Your loyalty and safety is payment enough," Zelda responded kindly. "Perhaps someday I may take you up on your offer, but until then all that matters is securing the kingdom's future."

"On the topic of our future," Rusl began returning to a more withdrawn, passive cadence. "What will be done with the captured invaders, my lady?"

"Those who were free from Ganondorf's control will be sent to Faron, where the overseer of that region will ensure they are kept safe and accounted for. As for the few we captured that are still resistant, they will be put under lock and key until we can free them as well."

"So they were not of their own minds?" Rusl asked pointedly, the tone of his voice on the cusp of a much more connotative meaning.

"No," Zelda replied, knowing that there was more to his question, but could not say what with any certainty. "They are in fact a very peaceful and kind people. It is the Evil that has made them do these atrocious things. I ask that you find pity and understanding in your heart for them. Their people have suffered more than any other at Ganondorf's hands."

Both Aryll and Rusl fell into a silent brooding, confirming Link's suspicion.

 _They ravaged her,_ Link aired in his mind, a surge of pity and sympathy shuddering in his heart. Although he could never understand exactly the trauma his kind-spirited cousin had suffered, he knew unbearable pain. He knew what it was like to have something so intimate taken from him; terrible things that had to be hidden within, locked behind the deepest holds of one's mind and soul. He supposed, in that sense, he could grasp the pain in her own heart.

How horribly ironic it was that his right to bear children was taken from him, and yet Aryll had it forced upon her.

" _I know… But there is an incredible courage in her heart,"_ Zelda whispered, locking her eyes with his. _"I can sense it. I can't help but see the similarities between you two. I guess it runs in the family."_

Link mused on her statement for a moment, but before he could answer the thundering of hooves caught their attention. Riding up the grassy bank was the Queen of Hyrule with a contingency of Royal escorts, the look in her eyes speaking of ill news. Rusl and Link both took a knee when she came upon them, while Aryll managed a weak curtsey.

"Zelda, Master Link," she greeted them urgently. "We have received word from the north. Ganondorf has doubled his efforts in the Lanayru Wetlands. He reinforced his forces with the men that retreated last night, and is focusing all of his men on breaking the blockade."

"What!?" Zelda gasped. "But I haven't felt a disturbance among my barriers there."

"The specters have not appeared yet," she explained. "I believe they sought to buy them as much time as possible without alerting you. We mustn't tarry and longer. We leave within the hour."

"Your grace," Link started, matching her urgency. "If I make my way to the Spring of Courage, I can draw Farore away from the fight and with any luck restore another scared flame to the Master Sword. I believe that we can still turn this around in our favor."

"You have my blessing then," the Queen declared before finally glancing back at the two awe struck villagers near them. "My apologies for my rudeness," she started. "But I'm afraid we are in a race against time." Rusl opened his mouth to reassure her there was no need for an apology, but Zelda took center stage.

"Mother, this is Rusl and Aryll of Hateno Village. They are Link's uncle and cousin, respectively."

"Truly?" the Queen gasped. "I'm sorry, I would love to have time to properly speak with you, kin of Master Link, but a promise for another time will have to do. I suggest you prepare to leave with the convoy for Hyrule Castle. I wish you safe travels."

"Thank you, your grace. We will be in your debt forever," Rusl answered, bowing his head.

"Good. I look forward to it." The Queen then turned her head to look at Zelda. "Meet me at Kakariko Bridge within the hour, we are leaving a soon as possible." she ordered before turning her horse to gallop back to the heart of the encampment.

"Aryll, Rusl," Link began as he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around both of them. "I'm sorry, but I must go. I will see you back at Hyrule Castle soon, I hope."

"Stay safe," Aryll said as she squeezed him affectionately.

"I will try," Link sighed, finally letting go of their embrace.

"I will tell you more about your mother when I see you again," Rusl added with a surprisingly soothing voice.

"Thank you," Link replied quietly before turning on his heel, steeling his heart and mind for the trial ahead.

"If you will wait here," Zelda began urgently, placing comforting hands on Rusl and Aryll's shoulders, "I will send a courier who will accompany you to Castle Town and lead you to Link's home. I will give him written instructions with where you can receive medical attention for Aryll."

"Thank you, Princess. We wish you both safe travels, and the blessings of Hylia."

And just like that, Link had found his family, and yet he was having to leave them already. A wave of fear for their safety welled inside his core, but he pushed past the sensation and struck out back to the Inn to gather the rest of his things. Zelda jogged forward just to catch up with him.

"I'm sorry," she sighed.

"For what?" Link asked quizzically, still keeping a fast pace.

"That you have to leave them so soon. I promise I will make sure they are looked after. So please, don't worry about them, they'll be safe."

"Thank you," he said earnestly, stopping for just a moment and stared into her emerald eyes. It was only for a moment, but staring into her eyes filled him with peace and comfort. Her gaze always did have a strange way of captivating him, he mused. However, he broke the lock between them, and refocused on the task at hand. "I need you to stay safe too," he continued. "When I am finished in Faron, I will make my way back to the north front as quickly as I can. If I ride fast enough, then perhaps I can be in and out before the sun sets, and be at the north front within a night."

"I will keep in contact with you as much as I can," Zelda replied with a worried tone. "I can't always be right there, because it takes to much focus to maintain the bond, but I promise to check on you every hour or so."

"Don't worry to much about me," Link said passively as he opened the door to the inn, the Princess still trailing him. "If you need to focus on other things, by all means do. Check with me by mid-day, I should be in Damel Forest by then."

"Very well. Oh, I forgot to ask, but where is Epona?"

"Somewhere on Mount Lanayru, I think. I had to leave her when I flew in last night. She's a smart horse, so I'm hoping she traveled back to Kakariko Village."

"I will send word to the captain stationed there to keep an eye out for her," Zelda responded.

"Thank you. I would greatly appreciate that." Using his foot, Link swung the door to his room open, immediately rushing to gather the rest of his gear, and wrapped his cowl around his neck.

"Let me see your necklace," Zelda said as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. With a hurried hand, he complied and placed the necklace in her open palm. Her hand began to glow with golden light as she clasped her fingers around it, closing her eyes to focus. As she had done before, she entwined a magical barrier on the necklace, although it took her considerably less time than before.

She was becoming very skilled at these types of things, Link surmised.

"There. It's a little stronger than last time," she said almost in a whisper as she put the necklace over his head, despite the fact that he held his hand out to do it himself. This brought them close enough that their toes could have touched, but Zelda lingered on under his shadow, and just stared into his eyes. He knew he should have stepped away to a more appropriate distance, but something in his heart simply would not let him. He became increasingly aware of the way his heart beat quicker and his chest and face began to burn fiercely.

"Link," Zelda whispered, her face still just inches away from him. "I need you to be safe, okay?"

"I will be," he replied quietly, trying to sound formal, to little effect.

"I need you to be safe _not_ just because you are required to fulfill your role as the Chosen One," she explained. "I need you to be safe because I don't know what I would do without you. After everything we've been through, I would fall apart if I lost you."

"Don't say that," he whispered gently. "You would fight on. You would learn to move on, and become one of the kingdom's greatest Queens. You _will_ become one of our greatest Queens."

"You sound so sure about that," she deadpanned.

"That's because I am," he answered honestly. "But I promise I will do everything I can to return safely." Zelda let out a long, grateful sigh.

"Thank you," she finally said with a bittersweet smile. A silence fell between them for a moment, as they each looked into the other's eyes, speaking for emotions that could not find words. A tingling memory sprung up in the back of Link's mind, to which he decided to throw caution into the wind for.

"I have something for you," he began, reaching into his belt pouch. "It will be your birthday soon, and seeing that anything could happen between now and then, I figured I would give this to you while I have the chance." Her jaw dropped when he produced the immaculate Silent Princess from his leather pouch, which was still miraculously untouched by time. It looked just as beautiful as the day he picked it, which was no doubt the effect of some strange magic.

"Oh Link," she gasped, completely speechless and wholly captivated by the flower she now held. "Where did you find this!?"

"In the Korok Forest, when I spoke with the Great Deku Tree," he answered, a suppressed smile on his lips. "I almost didn't pick it, since the species is so endangered, but the Koroks ensured me that more would grow there. I know its not much ̶ "

He was rather abruptly cut off when she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear, which sent euphoric shivers down his neck. "This means a lot to me, Link." In a moment of hesitation, Link checked the door opposite with him critically, worried that someone might enter uninvited. However, his fear was overcome with the desperate need to hold her in his arms. Perhaps it was foolish to even entertain the idea, but in this time of vulnerability he felt that he could have just this last moment to cherish her, and everything she meant to him.

His hands found the small of her back, and his head buried itself in the crook of her neck, as she was doing to his.

If he was going to die in battle, or live long enough to remove himself from her presence for the sake of her and their kingdom, then he decided that maybe this one chance could not be left unanswered. He knew deep down he was truly the biggest fool in existence, who was digging his own grave, but the primal desire to relish every second of her in his arms overruled all reasonable senses. In that brief, unexpected moment of passionate embrace, he needed her like he needed air.

There was no denying the fact that he would surely suffocate, and die without her.

His days were numbered, that much he knew, but even that was more comforting than thinking of a life without her. It was almost unbearable, therefore he squeezed her a little tighter while he had the chance before finally pulling away.

"I must go," he sighed despondently, fixating his hood around his neck. To his surprise when he finally looked back into her eyes, they were full of tears, but after reflecting inwards, he could find no fault with that. "I'll be fine out there," he said reassuringly. "MiarindÍl be there in case anything happens."

"You really have to do this alone?"

"That's what the Deku Tree said," Link answered as he strung his shield over his shoulder. "It's the only way I can prove my worth to the Master Sword. Without the Spirit of the Hero, I cannot wield it unless I can obtain whatever it is that is required to use it. Your father is the only Hero I know of that ever reached that potential, as he continued to wield it even after the Spirit was passed to me." Link paused pensively. "Besides, they need you in the north, and with any luck I can alleviate the pressure up there if I can release Farore's share of Ganondorf's army."

Zelda sigh in acquiescence, and said no more.

"Take care," he said softly. "I'll be back as fast as I can." Link turned to leave, but she suddenly caught his forearm and pulled him back. Before he even realized it, her hands cupped his cheeks, and she stood on her toes as she pressed her lips against his in a passionate kiss. By the time she pulled away, Link was both breathless, and speechless, utterly torn between being desperate for more, and appalled by the impropriety.

He was completely undone by her kiss to the point he feared he would not have the will power to go through with what was required of him as a sworn Knight of Hyrule, incapable of fatherhood or not.

"Anything could happen between now and then, right?" she asked rhetorically, quoting his own words with a sly and playful smile. Link stammered for words hopelessly, his face turning a bright red. "Oh don't act so surprised," she teased, patting his cheek lightly. "You weren't dreaming last time I kissed you."

"I…" Link was completely frozen. Not even the temptation to kiss her back could budge him. He should have never given her the flower, he decided. It made his worst sinful desire come to fruition, as outlandish as that thought was. More terrifying than that, however, was that he recognized how absolutely, pathetically, and hopelessly wrapped around her finger he was now.

Could his sense of duty stop him now? That was a question he was scared to find out the answer for.

"Come along now," Zelda bid him, a smug grin on her lips. "I'll see you to your horse." Without another word, he steeled his composure, and followed her lead.

* * *

Zelda was quite proud of herself. Link was unequivocally smitten by her kiss alone. The only obstacle now was figuring out how to restore him fully. Of course, she was still ready to commit to an alternative route, but she wanted to avoid that at all costs. However, that was a whole trail of thoughts she could not focus on for the time being. As they bolted down Sahasra Slope on their horses, the blaze of war raging on came into their view, attuning her focus to the task at hand.

She projected her consciousness to the furthest reaches of the battle, carefully checking her invisible barriers for any holes that the goddesses could possible slip through undetected, but she found no such breach. The Gorons continued to rain down their molten boulders from the slopes of Death Mountain, which were beginning to fall short as the Faronites began to push the line in their favor through sheer strength of numbers.

At this point, the Hylian Alliance was outnumbered at least six to one. True, they had better trained warriors, stronger arms and armor, and crucial knowledge of the land, but the Faronites' canons were used to deadly effect. Not to mention if the goddesses turned up, or worse, Ganondorf and Demise themselves.

Allowing her horse to follow the path laid out by the soldiers in front of her, she closed her eyes, and began to observe the battle with her mind's eye. Those she touched were unaware of her presence, but she could sense the fear and anger in their minds. The fighting was brutal, and they were losing ground quick. She prayed the massive force they brought with them from Fort Hateno would be enough to stop the advanced, but she had realistic expectations about her.

Their success hinged on Link's success now.

Her lips tingled with memory, and she clutched the pouch on her hip where the Silent Princess Link had given her rested, but she quickly diverted from that distraction.

 _Link,_ she called out to him, honing in on his presence, which was already crossing the Bridge of Hylia. _Things are pretty rough here, I may be out of touch a lot more than I thought._

" _I understand,"_ he replied, sounding a little guarded, and worried. _"I'll be as fast as I can."_

She sent a surge of energy to him in a show of her support, which he seemed very grateful of. When she broke contact with him, the warmth in her mind faded a little in his absence, but she would not have time to miss it. With as much speed as they could muster, the Queen and Princess, along with their battalion of Cavalrymen made their way to the outskirts of the Lanayru Wetlands, closer to the Hylia River, where the Hylian and Gerudo joint forces where staving of the enemy army from reaching the Rebonae and Thimms bridges. Further to the north, Zora's Domain was being cut of at Inogo Bridge, but was holding strong at the natural bottle-neck created by the mountains.

With their forces split right down the middle, the battle was turning increasingly in Ganondorf's favor.

They pressed on until at last they reached the Wetland Stables, which was a chaotic mess of wounded soldiers which were being prepared to be sent to Faron. The Queen stopped briefly to gather a report from the Lieutenant overseeing the operation, before turning their eyes to Crenel Peak. That was where Lord Aron, and the Citadel Officers were stationed, watching over the battle, and coordinating their strategies.

The closer they came to the overlook of Crenel Peak, the louder the canon fire became. The constant barrage sounded like a violent thunderstorm on an early spring's morning, rumbling across the land. Following the small gravel path that led to the peak, Zelda and the Queen dismounted, ordering the Cavalrymen to prepare to join the fray, at the Citadel Officers' command.

"Unless we can break through, there's nothing we can do for the Zora now," Lord Aron said, his eyes glued to the battle afar, peering through a small pair of Sheikah binoculars. "They can keep retreating up stream, even swim up the waterfalls all the way up to Ploymus Mountain, but there's no safe way down… They're cornered."

"There still may be hope for them" Captain Morint commented with a gruffy voice, eyeing the Lower Zorana River. "There are underwater passageways that run from Rutala Dam into the river below. If push comes to shove, they can at least evacuate to Samasa Plain, and into Lanayru Bay."

"But," Commander Nell continued, "That means that any non-Zora civilians and soldiers are left to fend for themselves. Only Zora can dive that deep, let alone breath under water. They might be able to evade detection for a few days, or maybe managed to climb down the slippery cliffsides by some miracle, but their odds are dire."

Lord Aron took to a frustrated brooding expression, taking this wave of information with a sour indignation.

"So many innocent lives," he sighed despondently.

"Your Grace," Commander Nell greeted as he bowed, being the first to spot them climbing the hill. "You are a sight for sore eyes. What forces have you brought?"

"The full force of the Cavalry," she answered strongly. "We could not spare another soul in Hateno. We're stretched thin as it is."

"We understand, you Grace," Lord Aron joined in, bowing as well. "But I am afraid we are losing this fight very quickly. We are open to hear your counsel."

"All I can add is that we must hold out for a little longer," the Queen replied. "Master Link is on his way to the Spring of Courage as we speak to challenge a second specter, and hopefully release another portion of Ganondorf's army."

"Is that what happened in Hateno?" Lord Aron asked. "We received news this morning that the Hateno had been reclaimed, but the details of how it happened were too scarce and honestly uncomprehensive."

"Yes, it is," Zelda answered, warranting a friendly bow of the head from the young lord. "He defeated Nayru in combat, and destroyed the amulet controlling her share of the Faronites, giving us the advantage we needed. He should be in Damel Forest very soon."

An impressed and surprised silence went around the group.

"I suppose it is still hard to even imagine that the goddesses themselves have been turned against us," Lord Aron began. "When I received your letter, I could barely believe it. But I am glad to hear of Master Link's success. Truly, if he can defeat a goddess of all things, then there is still hope. We will do as the Queen commands, and hold the line for as long as we can."

If she had to be honest with herself, even she was surprised by his praise of Link. True, he had changed so much from the arrogant man he used to be, but she could always sense the air of competitiveness in his voice when he spoke of Link. Most likely due to jealousy. However, there was no signs of that tone now, which only aided in building up his now amiable personality.

"Hopefully we can ̶ " The Queen was suddenly cut off when the loudest thunderclap Zelda had ever heard in her life cracked across the sky, striking the mountain pass to Akkala in a flash of crimson and white light. She could see the shockwave it created rolling across the landscape faster than an arrow, until it turned the rocks and dirt at her feet into the air, nearly knocking her onto her back.

Instinctively, she threw her mind outward, running along every inch of her barrier, but still there was no breach.

However, something in the sky caught her attention, bringing a rise of absolute terror. A swirling cloud larger than any she had seen before began to billow over the peaks of Death Mountain and Upper Zorana, lightning striking time and time again, resulting in deafening cracks, as if someone had taken a whip to her ears. She knew what it was, or more accurately who it was.

She never saw a face, but at the center of the amassing clouds, a thunderhead began to form, glowing with crimson light as it prepared to discharge its power.

Without another word, Zelda dug her heels into the ground and prepared to answer the challenge, throwing every ounce of her energy into strengthening her invisible barrier. The moment of contact came like the suspense before a fight, slow, and painfully, until at last it just snapped, unleashing all of hell with it.

The flash of lightning that struck her barrier sparked into an all-consuming blinding light, throwing Zelda head over heel as she lost consciousness.

* * *

"MiarindÍl, keep everyone inside the cavern spring," Link hastily ordered as he led the last of the wounded soldiers that had been sent to Faron for healing, along with countless freed Faronites. "I'm going to be kicking the bee's hive on this one," he warned, "and I don't want anyone to be caught in the crossfire."

"You mean to take this trial alone?" MiarindÍl asked, aghast.

"I have to, and quickly. Ganondorf is breaking through the northern front, I need to free Farores hold on your people."

Her inner light fluttered with worry, but she did not voice any more opposition.

"Very well," she conceded. "But I will be right here if you need me."

"Thank you," Link replied earnestly. "Just keep the door sealed, and continue your work. It should not be long." With a bow of the head, she took the dizzy and injured soldier hanging on his shoulder for support, and led him into the cavern spring, sealing the entrance behind them with a loud grumbling noise.

Pulling the Goddess Longsword from his back, Link jogged to the maw of the stone dragon statue that encompassed the Spring of Courage. Once he stepped onto the dais before the statue of Hylia, he took to one knee, resting the point of his sword on the ground and closed his eyes in prayer.

"Farosh," he called out. "I have come to answer the challenge you will offer me, as your sister Naydra has done. I pray that you will grant me the chance to prove my worth to restore and wield the Master Sword once again."

A beat passed before a booming voice answered him from the sky.

"Chosen One," Farosh called, appearing from a purple cloud just as Naydra had done. "I have heard your plea. Late is the hour of your arrival, we must tarry no longer. Do you know of that which you must do?"

"Yes, Farosh," he replied, running out to the open field laid out before the dragon statue, peering up at the wonderous display of shining green light that was Farosh, the Dragon of Courage. She looked almost identical to her sister of Wisdom, only the color and massive horn protruding from her head being the noticeable difference. With as much regal grace as her kin, Farosh spiraled downwards, until she snaked her body to the ground and craned her head before Link, her breath pouring over him, electrifying the air.

"Then I await you victory," Farosh finally answered before turning her head skyward, and opened her jaw to let out a long, deep, and beautiful song that rattled from the depth of her throat. It was different from Nayrda's song, Link noticed, and in a way, it felt more ―well, he could not explain it. It just felt more like _him?_ Perhaps it just spoke to him more, or maybe since Farore was his patron goddess he shared some kind of bond with her and the song her dragon sang.

Either way, the song of Farosh filled his soul with courage, and bolstered his spirit to face his patron goddess in the flesh, and do battle with her. He had been successful against Nayru, he prayed he would find success against Farore, Hylia willing.

"May your heart guide your way, Chosen One," Farosh whispered to him after completing her summoning song with an ear-piercing roar, before vanishing before his eyes, leaving him alone in the empty amphitheater that would serve as his battlefield.

Ever muscles in his arms, legs, and back tensed as he took his stance, sword drawn, and crossbow knocked, and scanned the sky for his opponent. A few suspenseful seconds passed, until at last a speck of black streaked across the sky in a shockwave of energy, until at last he could make out the figure of Farore, the Goddess of Courage. However, there was something more. To her right, a second enveloping black flame plummeted along side her, bursting into a green and crimson flame.

The two flames split apart at the last second, both colliding with the ground in a loud and dull thump, tearing into the earth beneath them.

He carefully examined each pillar of fire with anxious caution, swinging the point of his crossbow bolt between them, unsure of which to fire upon. However, that choice was made for him, when from the left fire leapt out the predatorial presence of Farore, who donned her blade of molten green fire.

On instinct, Link took aim, and pulled the trigger, but to his dismay it missed her shoulder by mere inches. Abandoning his crossbow, Link sidestepped Farore's attack, swiping her sword to the side with his own in a desperate attempt to spare him from the point of her blade. She zoomed past him, luckily, but before he got his footing firmly beneath him a second opponent emerged from its flame, and locked his blade with Link's.

The terrible face that stared back at him was his own, but instead of blue eyes, deep red ones peered into his, an impish smile on the monster's lips.

"You've been busy," his darkling sneered at him as he withdrew his blade to unleash an onslaught of attacks. Seeing Farore reeling up to dash at him again, Link drew back in a desperate retreat, fending off his reflection's pursuit.

The benefit of adrenaline was his only aid as he barely managed to evade both attackers as he helplessly strained to gain an edge on his opponents. This was something he had not accounted for, but he should have known Ganondorf would have prepared for this eventual challenge. Link wondered why he had not shown up himself, and finished the job right then and there.

However, there was no time to think about that. It was fight or die, and failure was not an option.

Remembering that he possessed not only Nayru's Love, but also Zelda's protection, he lashed out in a high risk, high reward attack, landing a strong slash across Farore's off hand, but sustained sever damage to the golden barrier that appeared just inches from his skin.

Worse than that, however, was that his darkling's sword bit into his right arm just above the elbow in a poorly deflected jab. Red hot blood poured down his arm, staining his undershirt. At first he did not notice the pain, which gave him to opportunity to take advantage of his darkling's misplaced footing to unleash a punishment of his own, swinging his sword just below his ribcage.

His dark reflection fell to the side, with a scream of anguish, but was far from dead.

The pain from his own wound made its most unwelcome arrival, and just as he was forced to defend himself from Farore's blade. It was another failed attempt at defense, but luckily her blade glanced off Zelda's barrier, sparking golden light as it did. Link swung his sword in opposition to hers, aiming to catch the gap between her armor in her armpit. Unfortunately, only the very end of his blade managed to nick whatever flesh laid beneath, but before he could even draw his blade all the way through, she vanished in a cloud of smoke, and reappeared behind him, unleashing a flurry of attack onto his back, sending cracks in Zelda's protection shooting across his body.

Hoping to preserve the much more valuable barrier of the two, Link removed the crystal of Nayru's Love from his pocket, and slammed it to the ground, throwing a wider shield of blue light all around him. Farore, to his surprise ceased her attacks, and took to stalking him in a wide arc.

"Found some new toys, have we?" his darkling coughed vehemently as he finally stood, clutching the gash just above his right hip. "Tell me," he continued with a vile and boastful chuckle. "They haven't found a way to restore your ―how should I put this― problem, down south?" He glanced down to Link's groin, and laughed.

"Spare me your useless chatter," Link fired back, distancing himself from Farore and his darkling. However, his response only seemed to encourage his accursed reflection's invectives.

"So they have restored your voice, I see! But oh, they haven't fixed everything, have they?" he jeered. "Well that's a shame. Even I must admit, your precious little princess was too tantalizing to resist. I would have enjoyed taking her crown jewel. But she just had to play the innocent and well behaved little maiden's role, didn't she?"

Realizing that his darkling was trying to trick him into reacting foolishly out of anger, Link steeled his mind and heart, and buried his inner rage.

"Have you told her?" his darkling continued to gloat, shuffling forward with his sword at his side. He waited for an answer, but Link gave none. "Oh, you haven't?" he laughed. "Or, did she find out herself? What, did she offer to sleep with you, only to be turned down because you are not man enough to perform? Please don't keep me in suspense, I'm dying to know!"

Link clamped his jaw shut, and hardened his eyes, unwilling to offer a single word, instead opting to equip his Clawshot.

"Come now," his darkling continued. "You can't stay silent forever, irony aside. You can't hold that barrier up forever. Every second that passes is a second of energy lost. You'll pass out sooner than you think."

"Then we better finish this," he yelled as he surged forward, taking aim with his Clawshot, at fired at his darkling. He sidestepped it easy enough, where it latched onto the porous wall behind him. His opponent opened his mouth to offer a sly and self-impressed insult, but before he could, Link pulled the trigger, and reeled himself forward, his feet slinging on the slick grass beneath him until he collided with his darkling, and kicked him to the ground.

Farore, seeing the abrupt engaging fight, flashed into action and began to wail on his barrier, but he paid no attention to her. He was going to kill his darkling first, and then deal with her second.

With his darkling helpless against his wider barrier, Link went on a brutal offensive flurry, whittling down his enemy's defenses until at last he saw his opportunity and drove his blade clean through his chest in a triumphant battle cry.

It felt just as good as the first time he had done it.

His darkling's eye flickered, and blood sputtered out of his mouth as he tried to breath, but fell limply to the ground, sliding off the end of his sword. He did not have time to revel in his success, however, as each strike from Farore's blade tugged away at the precious energy stored within his lifeforce. Dropping the barrier of Nayru's Love, Link fell into action, dropping his Clawshot, and wrenching his shield from his back, and began to block her attacks the old-fashioned way.

He was tired, but still very much alive and kicking.

She had the height advantage, and terrifyingly so, but Link did everything to leverage his way under her, often pivoting on his toes to try to position himself where he could cut at the unarmored segments of her body. These attempts were met with little success, but he did manage to severely damage one of her pauldrons, which now dangled loosely by a single leather strap.

That was the weak spot he would aim for, he surmised.

However, it seemed she came upon this conclusion as well, as she began to distance herself, often vanishing in a puff of smoke to fire upon him in countless shards of blackened stone. Some shards he caught with his shield, but others began to chip away Zelda's protection, much to his dismay.

They repeated this pattern several times until at last the golden barrier covering his body shattered, the burst of energy it released sent Farore to the ground. Link did not wait for a single moment as he charged forward, leaping off a small nearby boulder and pointed his sword downwards to perform the ending blow.

Time seemed to slow as he flew through the air, every fiber of his being bent on completing his one task. When the end of his sword met its mark, the plated metal beneath it could not even stand up to the weight and power behind the attack, as it crumpled beneath the point until at last it broke through, and drove itself all the way to the hilt.

Farore screamed in agony before erupting into a bright golden light, knocking him away onto his back.

As it had happened to Nayru, when the light had vanished, all that remained was an orb of pure starlight, which lingered only for a moment, until at last it dissipated into a thousand twinkling sparks. Link collapsed to his knees, completely exhausted from his fight, but relieved it was over.

Remembering the weight of time, Link rushed over to the tattered and empty robes and armor of Farore, and pulled the Goddess Longsword from the earth, having to use his foot to yank it free from the metal breastplate it was buried in. He searched the robes a little longer, until at last he found the mind control amulet, and set in on a rock beside him, bearing his sword down on it.

This time, he was prepared for the release of energy, so he managed to remain standing, at last reveling in his success.

"You impress me, Chosen One," Farosh's voice echoed over the open amphitheater. "Not only have you defeated your patron goddess, you have conquered the demon that plagued your soul for so many years. Truly, there is great courage in your heart. I readily bestow upon you the sacred flame of Farore."

Turning to face the great dragon that materialized behind him, Link held the Goddess Longsword in his hands and awaited her blessing.

Without another word, Farosh opened her gaping jaw, the glowing green Sacred Flame just beginning to congregate in the back of her throat. Link dug his heels into the dirt and braced the Goddess Longsword in his hands, and then was met by the mighty force of Farosh's fire. The Sacred Flame that was of a richer green than he had ever seen wrapped itself around the blade of his sword, burning away the blood that stained it.

When the flame had been cleansed of impurity, Farosh relinquished her downpour of fire, and Link stood tall as he held the Goddess Longsword in his hand, watching it intently as it began to transform. The hilt remained relatively the same, although it did turn a few shades whiter, but the blade grew by another few inches, and became fuller with the bright steel he was accustom to with the Master Sword.

Eventually the Sacred Flame seeped into the blade itself, thus ending the ceremony. He was overjoyed to feel even more of its weight sink into none existence.

"Listen closely, Hero," Farosh whispered to him, licking her teeth free of lingering fire. "Listen to the voice of the Goddess White Sword." Following her command, Link closed his eyes and focused on the familiar ringing song in is ear. At first it felt like nothing had changed, but just as he was about to question her, a voice as faint as a summer breeze called out to his mind.

" _Master."_

"Soon," Farosh began, "you will be able to hear her clearly, but that will be after you have restored yet another Flame. For now, take this last gift in good fortune. May it aid you on your travels." Raising her head above his, Farosh closed her bright eyes, and focused her power. In a very similar fashion to Naydra, a bead of light began to shine on the crest of her forehead, and from it floated out a small crystal of green which matched the hue of her Sacred Flame.

Link reached out and took it in his hand, instantly being filled with the knowledge to use it.

"Farore's Wind," Farosh began. "It is truly a versatile ability at your disposal. I would suggest leaving its beacon in a safe location, so that you may teleport to safety, if need be."

"Thank you, Farosh," Link beamed, pocketing the small crystal with gusto. That is at least until he bent his arm a little to far, and strained the wound on his arm to an excruciating degree. Without even needing to say a word, MiarindÍl materialized before him, a relieved smile on her benevolent face.

"Let me heal you," she said gently as she reached out with her hand. When she touched his skin, a pure light emanated from the tips of her fingers, and began to work their healing magic. He felt her presence brush against his mind, particularly with the events that led him there, although she seemed to fixate on one thing in particular…

When Zelda kissed him.

" _You are a fool,"_ she whispered in his mind, the air of amusement in her tone.

 _I know,_ he conceded, admittedly surprised that she was taking his side on the matter. _I should have never given her the flower…_

" _No, you oaf,"_ she teased. _"You are a fool for thinking as such. Can you not see that you were meant for each other?"_

 _Oh,_ Link grunted, realizing his misplaced surprise. _That doesn't matter… Well… No, it doesn't. I can't._

" _Your mind and heart are always at war, young one,"_ she declared in a soothing voice. _"In my experience, the latter is the truer of the two. I believe it would be wise to listen to the counsel of the faithful."_

 _What does that even mean?_ MiarindÍl removed her hand before she ever answered.

"There, you arm is healed. I would desire to speak more, but I must return to the others now. Please take care, young one."

"Thank you, MiarindÍl," Link said meaningfully as he watched her dissipate into the wind.

"No, thank you."

"Chosen One," Farosh suddenly said in an urgent voice, on the cusp of horror. "Climb on my back quick. We are too late. He is ready."

"Ganondorf!?" Link gasped, completely aghast. Farosh stared intently into his eyes, and shook her head.

"No... Demise."


	41. The Third Trial

**Authors Note:** I'm back! Finally! After a wonderful break, I have finally finished this chapter. It was a blast to write, and I hope you all enjoy it. I'm getting giddy thinking about the fact that we are nearing the end of this story. There's still things that must happen, of course, but its the home stretch.

Anyways, if you have not checked, over Christmas break, I wrote a very small Oneshot story called _The Heart of the Forest_ , which is just a short, but nice story that follows Zelda (a different Zelda from a different era, mind you) who runs into a mysterious knight in the woods who does not remember his own name, nor his past. So, after befrending him, she tries to restore his memory. Its a fun little read, so I suggest you check it out.

I plan on doing more of the short Oneshot stories in the future. In fact, I have one planned that will be based on Breath of the Wild, except it is before the 100 year attack of Calamity Ganon. (It will be the ultimate fluff story, so let your hearts find peace in that). I'll keep y'all up to date on that.

Other than that, everything is continuing as normal.

Enjoy!

 **-Written in Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter forty-one, The Third Trial_

"Farosh, wait," Link commanded, staying her flight. "We need to burn his body. I don't want my darkling coming back again."

"A wise decision," Farosh conceded, unclenching her jaw open to call forth the holy green fire from her throat. Her head reeled back as the molten flames poured out onto the ground, consuming only the ashen body of his dark reflection, leaving the lush grass and flowers to bloom and grow freely. Such was the nature of the Sacred Flame of Courage.

When her work was done, all that remained was a smoldering pile of ash where the monster once laid.

"Might I suggest you leave a beacon of Farore's Wind," Farosh declared. "You may need to return to this place quickly." Holding the crystal of Farore's Wind in his hand, Link followed her suggestion, and called forth the magic to place a beacon of green light in the open field of Damel Forest. Once he was done, Link wasted no time, and leapt back onto Farosh's back. Within an instant, Farosh leapt into the sky, and soared among the clouds alarmingly quick. Compared to Naydra, her sister of Courage flew like the maws of death snapped at her tail, instead of gracefully snaking through the sky.

"We fly to the Wetlands of Lanayru," Farosh declared as she climbed ever higher. "I cannot join you in the fray of battle, however. I am powerless against the combined might of Ganondorf and the Demon King, and should I fall to them, they will bend my will to their cause. It would be safer if I remained on the outskirts, and looked after Farore as she rests."

"I understand," Link yelled through the wind, "but what will I do against them? With the Master Sword still not restored, how will I stand a chance against them?"

"It is not your time to face them yet," Farosh answered. "A strategic retreat is your only option. The Descendant stands as the last defense against their assault. Seek to aid her in shielding your army while they fall back. Once your forces are safe, you must find a way to reach the Spring of Power, and face your last trial. Din, I fear, is the strongest of the Three, but do not despair, for her Chosen Mouthpiece will also grant you great power to rise to the occasion." Farosh paused for a moment as she met the peak of her ascent, and evened out above the clouds, where the air was thin and cold. "Dinraal will offer you her aid, Chosen One, and bestow upon you her gift of crystal magic before your challenge. But do not let this trick your heart into foolhardiness, for an army of nearly twenty-thousand lies between you and success."

"How can there still be so many left under Ganondorf's control," Link asked, exasperatedly. "I destroyed the amulets of both Nayru and Farore."

"Look to the surface, Chosen One. See as I do." Link trailed his eyes downwards, but say nothing but a blanket of clouds that obstructed his view. However, just as he was about to open his mouth, his vision flicked under the filter of a green film. His fingers tingled with the sensation as his presence was transported down the nerves of his arms, and scattered across the scales of Farosh, eventually diving into the depths of her skin, until at last his mind melded with hers, and he opened his eyes under a new light.

He was seeing the world through her eyes, he realized in a moment of awe.

Farosh's vision was far cleared than his own; unbelievably so. Hundreds of feet below, Link could clearly see through the clouds down to the fields and bodies of water that littered the land of Hyrule in crystal clear detail. He found that if he focused hard enough, he could go as far as counting the petals on a rose that fluttered peacefully in the late evening wind.

"This is incredible," he yelled giddily. "Do you always see like this!?"

"Yes, Chosen One. Now look to the north, what do you see?" Following her order, Link peered northwards, and spotted a warzone of crimson fire, and the thousands of souls that fought to the death. Of the forces, Link saw knights of his own kingdom, as well as countless Gerudo, Zora, Rito, and even Goron warriors thrown into the mix. They were on the retreat, he noted, but it was a desperate and bloody one. Looking further, Link saw the amassing forces of Faronites. Among them were the clear signs of liberation, but what tore into his heart with fear was what he saw next.

As the freed Faronties howled on the ground helplessly, their comrades paid them no attention. Instead, one by one, each of them was struck by a bolt of crimson lightning, causing them to reel their heads back as beams of red light poured out from their eyes. And then, they stood, the hatred and malice within them still evident in their face, and charged forward alongside their kin, cutting down the Hylian Alliance with newfound bloodlust.

"Farore's share of Ganondorf's army is being taken back over," Farosh explained. "I can sense the power swelling within them. I think you will find these warriors in particular will be much stronger than their kin."

"How is this possible!?" Link gasped.

"Demise," Farosh answered. "His power alone is enough to corrupt them once again. Should he reach Damel Forest, I fear for those under MiarindÍl's protection. She is a being of strong magic, but she would not be able to defend her domain forever. You must draw their attention to your forces, or the work you have done to free them will be undone."

"It looks like that's already done," Link bemoaned. "They're hot on our army's heels. I need to get back. Take me down to the fight."

"There is more you must see Chosen One," Farosh began. "Look to Crenel Peak. Gaze upon your Princess. She is in need of you aid, more than ever." A pange of horror struck Link's heart at he frantically scoured the surface for his beloved, loathed to find that she was being carted away in the arms of several escorts. Blood streamed down her temple, and she was unconscious.

"Take me down there, immediately!" Link cried. At his command, Farosh dove straight down, sending torrents of winds past Link, making his eyes water incessantly.

"Teleport her to MiarindÍl," Farosh said urgently as she careened to the earth. "She must be healed. Once you awaken her, you must bring her back, and lend her your energy to reform the barrier between your people, and Demise. Restore the barrier, and you can buy yourselves time. Enough time for you to sneak into the Spring of Courage." By the time Farosh finished her urgent message, she had already landed not far off from the crest of Crenel Peak, terrifying the sprawl of soldiers on and near the peak.

"You must hurry, Chosen One," Farosh roared as she took to the sky once Link leapt off her back. "When the Void fully breaches this world, Demise will have access to his complete power. You must not fail. Save your Descendant, restore the Master Sword, and make your final stand. The goddesses, and us dragons will come to your aid in the final battle. Let not your heart be lost to hope."

Link heard her command, but did not respond as he barreled down the hill, Zelda's safety being his main concern.

"Your Grace!" Link screamed, finally reaching the fleeing convoy that bore the unconscious body of Princess Zelda. The Queen, who sat woefully on her horse, spun around at his urgent greeting.

"Master Link," she called back, the shrillness of her voice denoting a healthy amount of fear. "Were you unsuccessful in releasing Farore's share? Why do they all linger?"

"No, your grace," Link replied, not even bothering to bow to his queen as he ran straight to Zelda's side, the knights carrying her contorting their faces in puzzled and fearful manners. "I was successful, but Demise gathered enough strength to regain control of them the moment they were freed."

"So it was indeed Demise that broke the barrier," the Queen gasped. "I feared as much."

"You Grace," Link said curtly. "I need to take the Princess to Damel Forest for healing. If we hurry, we can rebuild the barrier, and buy us enough time to retreat."

"But how will you get there and back fast enough!?" the Queen asked with a furrowed brow, looking upwards. "I saw Farosh already disappear into the sky. Will she return to ̶ "

"No, your Grace," Link cut in, abruptly taking Zelda into his own arms, and laid her on his lap as he knelt, much to the mortified shock of the knights surrounding him. "I have a different, faster way. I will return as soon as I can." Without even explaining what he was going to do, Link, supporting Zelda in one arm, drew out the crystal Farore's Wind, and clasped it in his fingers, activating the magic within it.

In an instant, a gust of wind swirled around them, throwing dirt and grass into the air as a pillar of spiraling green aura encircled them. The Queen, and the knights that accompanied them, all watched in awe as the strength of the green light that surrounded Link and Zelda pulsated and droned until they just vanished without a trace.

From Link's perspective, the world around him just outside the wall of green light vanished into a bleak landscape of nothing but pure white. For a brief moment, all Link could hear was the beating of his own heart, and the steady but strained breathing of the woman in his arms. Already, the blood that oozed from her head had stained his hand, but he paid no attention to that as he pressed his hand against her wound, coddled her against his chest, and rest his cheek against the disheveled hair atop her head.

He thanked Nayru and Farore that she was at least breathing. She was alive, and that's all that mattered.

Holding her again felt right. In the small moment he had with here in the place between existence, and nonexistence, he thought back on the way her lips felt against his. Despite everything he told himself he should feel, the horrible truth of the matter was that deep down he did not care about his breach on duty when she kissed him. In that moment of weakness, he could have believed there was a way; a future of them together.

With no one around to lay judgement upon him, Link lightly kissed her forehead, gently rocking her in his arms until a speck of green finally came into view on the horizon of nothingness, eventually flooding his vision as the trees and grass of Damel Forest materialized before him. Finally, after a brief second, the ground beneath him materialized fully and the spell of Farore's Wind relinquished its draining grip upon his energy supply.

"MiarindÍl!" he cried out loudly. "MiarindÍl come quick!"

"Young One," MiarindÍl's voice replied urgently as she appeared in a flurry of light and petals. Dropping to her knees, she placed a hand on Zelda's head, instantly beginning the flow of magic between them as she worked to close the gash underneath her blood-stained golden hair.

"You came just in time," MiarindÍl said as she worked. "Her lifeforce was on the verge of slipping away. I will provide her with as much energy as I can spare, but she will be weak when she awakens."

"I will lend her any energy I can give as well," Link replied, still clutching her in his arms like it was the last thing he had. "She is going to need every ounce we can give to create a barrier strong enough to halt Demise in order to buy us with as much time as we can get."

"That will take a tremendous amount of energy," MiarindÍl said. "You alone cannot provide that, despite the vastness I see within you. Perhaps she can gather energy from not only you, but others of your people. Was not her mother a bearer of the same magic within her? Surely there are still untapped springs of energy Zelda can tap into."

"I don't know," Link replied. "As the Queen grew older, her powers faded without use. And then when they manifested in her daughter, it seemed the last of her magic faded. But we will try nonetheless."

"Energy is energy, regardless," MiarindÍl answered. "The stronger the spirit, the stronger the energy. If Zelda's mother is anything like her, then you will find much more than you expect." Just as MiarindÍl finished speaking, Zelda began to stir and murmur under her breath. "She's back," MiarindÍl said as she withdrew her hand. "You must go quickly. Go now, she will awaken any second."

"Thank you, MiarindÍl," Link said in a raspy voice, once again taking the crystal of Farore's Wind in his palm, and pressed it in his fingers. Just as before, the world outside the pillar of green magic vanished into nothingness. Zelda stirred in his arms, until at last her bright emerald eyes rolled from under her eyelids, and locked with his own.

"Link," she whispered faintly, a small but utterly relieved and sweet smile on her pink lips.

"You're alright," he whispered back soothingly. "I took you to MiarindÍl for healing, we're on our way back to the Front. We're going to rebuild the barrier to stop Demise."

"But how?" she asked despondently. "I barely have to energy to stand…"

"You will siphon energy from me, and anyone else that can spare it."

"I see," Zelda replied sluggishly before glancing at the nothingness around them perplexedly. "Where are we?" she asked after a few intentional blinks like she was waking up from a long nap.

"Nowhere," Link replied. "It's a place between where we've been, and where we're going. When answered Farosh's trial, she gave me the power of Farore's Wind. It allows me to create a path through which we can teleport between two points."

"You're becoming quite the little novice with magic, you know," Zelda teased as she looked back into his eyes, her head tucked in the hollow of his shoulder. "Pretty soon you'll be stronger than I am."

"I doubt that," Link chuckled, an enamored grin on his lips. "I'm much better at hitting things than I am with magic."

"That's because you've trained to do it for nearly your whole life, just as I have trained to use my powers," Zelda countered. "I just hope I am enough."

"I wonder the same thing about myself all the time," Link sighed. "But you… I know you're more than enough. Just look at all the incredible things you've accomplished."

"Well," Zelda began, "if I'm enough, then you are enough. But let's not worry about that anymore. We have a kingdom to save."

"Right," Link aired as he helped Zelda prop herself up, and just in time too. Shortly thereafter, the gravely road between Crenel Peak and the Wetland Stable appeared beneath them, until at last the grim landscape of war faded into view. The Queen and the shocked knights were still huddled around the area, having chosen to wait for their return. The Queen leapt down from her horse and rushed to Zelda's side and wrapped her arms around her when they finally took their full physical forms.

"Oh Zelda," she gasped. "I was so worried!"

"I know," Zelda replied, embracing her mother. "Link arrived just in time, butwe can't wait, we need to rebuild the barrier. I'm going to have to rely on anyone I can to draw out enough energy ̶ "

"Do what you must," Zelda's mother cut in reassuringly. "Draw what you need from me, and any of the fine gentlemen around us," she said as she glanced knowingly to Link and the knights that all huddled around them in defensive positions. Without hesitation, the Royal Guards bowed their heads, offering their consent. In total, there were twelve souls that Zelda could draw energy from, her mother and Link being the largest sources of that total.

As MiarindÍl had suggested, there were indeed strong wells of strength within them that the other Hylian's did not possess.

"Help me back up to Crenel Peak," Zelda said. Link, being the closet, placed on of her outstretched arms over his shoulder, and began to lift her as another knight came to her other side, and mirrored what Link did. Together, the assembly climbed their way back up the hill as the roar of war echoed across the Lanyru Wetlands. Already Ganondorf's forces, and the enslaved Faronites under Demises' curse were pushing their way to Goponga Village, which was situated in the center of the Wetlands.

"Your Grace," a familiar voice cried over the all the noise urgently. "Why have you returned? It is too dangerous here." Link looked ahead to the voice's bearer, seeing a worn out, but still finely suited Lord Aron among his Citadel Officers. Lord Aron's eyes then fell to Zelda, who was walking nimbly with Link and the other knight's help, then his expression constricted with worry. And then his gaze darted to Link, who met his eyes with a stoic, but resolute nod.

"There is no time, Lord Aron," Zelda replied in a frail voice. "Lend me your strength as the others will do, and I can put a stop to Demises' assault."

"What do you need us to do, my lady?" he asked as he ran to meet them halfway, concern stitching his eyebrows together.

"Nothing," Zelda answered. "Just allow me to tap into the source of your energy, and the energy of your officers. With everyone's combined strength, I should be strong enough to create a substantial barrier against Demise." Without even needing to ask for the Officers' approval, Lord Aron promised her just that.

"Zelda," the Queen began, still striding alongside them. "A word of advice. Do not focus your energy on creating a barrier that will protect the whole front. That will stretch your power to thin. Instead, seek to create a small, but much stronger entrapment just around the area Demise and Ganondorf stand. Without them, the Faronites will be unable to advance past Hyrule Castle. That is the same tactic I used against the Calamity, when I held him within the confines of the castle. I cannot say that it will work quite as well with Demise, but it should give us a fighting chance."

"Thank you, mother," Zelda said as she began to force herself to stand a little taller. "I will do as you suggest." At last, when the reached the crest of Crenel Peak, they all stared down in horror at the scene unfolding. Everywhere, crimson bolts of lighting struck the ground in terrifying flashes of light, and ear deafening booms as the Hylian Alliance set in a hasty and desperate retreat. Link led Zelda down to her knees as she focused to prepare her powers. The Queen, Link, Lord Aron, the knights, and Citadel Officers all crowded beside and behind her, waiting for her to call upon them.

When Zelda slowed her breathing, and closed her eyes, the golden light of the Triforce shone with ethereal light against the back of her hand as she rose it in opposition to the thunderous clouds afar. She maintained this meditative trance for quite some time, until after a few agonizing seconds opened her lips to speak.

"I've located them," she whispered in a raspy voice. "When you feel my presence, please do not shy away. I will try my best to leave each of you with enough energy to still run and fight, but know that this will still be very taxing, and hard to control. Please forgive me if I falter." The murmurs of 'yes my lady,' and 'of course' passed among the congregation, signaling that everyone was ready for the ordeal.

As she had promised, Link felt her soft presence brush against his mind, as it did with all those who surrounded her, although they were not quite as attuned or aware of it as he was. It seemed that there was a special, deeper connection between them.

" _Its time,"_ Zelda said within their minds before beginning the process of harboring some of their own energy. Link gave to her everything he could without causing himself to faint, but as he continued to push past the rate at which she drew from him, his head began to feel wobbly and distant, forcing him to kneel beside Zelda so that he would not fall over. After some time, she stopped drawing power from him all together, and resorted only to the others.

Link opened his eyes, not remembering when he had closed them, but was in awe at the spectacle before him. Zelda was kneeling no more. In fact, she was not even standing. Instead, by some miraculous power, she floated almost a foot off the ground, her body being cloaked in glittering trails and wisps of golden light. It was truthfully one of the most spectacular, and profoundly beautiful things he had ever seen. He had seen his beloved Princess adorn in the finest silks and jewelry their land had to offer, he had seen her beauty under the pale moonlight of a cool spring night, he had seen her beauty under the valiant yellow rays of the dawn as she looked down upon him with fierce but loving and perfect eyes, however none of those times compared to her in this moment.

In that moment, she shone like a sun in her own right, her golden hair floating wistfully around her head, bathed in holy light. Even in her muddied clothing, and blood-stained face, she looked nothing short of Hylia incarnate, her beauty unmatched by anything he had ever seen. When he glanced to the others around him he found that their eyes were still closed, their foreheads creased with strain as energy was pulled from their cores. Several knights had even seemed to have fainted, but it appeared he was the only one she had stopped siphoning from, her reasoning behind this coming in a soft whisper in his mind.

" _I need you to remain strong,"_ she said to him as her emerald eyes dance upon his captivated face. _"You must stay strong… For me… The others are glad to do their part."_

When her part was spoken, Zelda turned her eyes back to the north, where the darkness of the clouds cast a shadow that crept ever slowly across the landscape. She stared down her opponent with a resolute glower before she severed the ties of her energy between the Hylians surrounding her, and thrust her hands outwards as a massive beam of golden magic shot out from her palms, and tore through the electrified air. The beam she cast took aim at the far-off pass of Terino Trail, which seemed to be the source of the thunderhead above. Due to the distance between them and the pass, it took the beam a good three seconds to reach, but once it did it irrupted into a massive spherical barrier that swallowed the amassing darkness, ensnaring the Evil within its walls.

It was good that Link's eyes were open, for as soon as Zelda had released the immense supply of energy within her, the golden light around her faded, and she began to fall from her suspension, to weak to land without collapsing. Swiftly, Link caught her before she fell face first into the mud.

"Its… done…" she gasped between heaving breaths. "It'll… buy us… enough time."

"Let's get you back to Hyrule Castle," Link said as he hoisted her up. Of the group around them, the Queen was the only one capable of summoning the energy to begin moving into action right away. The rest of them, excluding those who had fainted, either fell to their knees in desperate breaths, or leaned forward with exhaustion.

"I'm sorry," Zelda barely managed to say. "It took more energy than I thou ̶ "

"There is no… need to apologize," Lord Aron exhaled difficulty. "You did what was needed, my lady."

"Lord Aron," the Queen began. "Order a full retreat to Hyrule Castle. We will focus our efforts on fortifying our last hold."

"What of Zora's Domain, your Grace?" he asked after finally catching his breath.

"There is nothing we can do for them. However, with Demise and Ganondorf out of the picture for a time, they will have to opportunity to fall back to the high places of Upper Zorana. They will be safe there long enough for us to draw the main assault to Hyrule Castle. Its not ideal, but it's our only option."

"It will be done, your Grace," Lord Aron replied dutifully before gathering his men, and set out with as much speed their weakened states could allow. The Royal Guards that were finally coming round began to wobble into action, and faithfully awaited the Queen's command as they readied their horses.

"Master Link," she said as she gestured for everyone to retreat from the Peak. "I assume your next target is the Spring of Power?"

"Yes, your Grace," Link replied as he helped Zelda gather her balance before she finally summoned the strength to walk on her own. "I have not figured out how I will get there yet, but I have an idea of how I can get out quickly."

"Can you not go there using the teleportation magic you used to get Zelda to and from Damel Forest?"

"No, your Grace," Link answered. "Unfortunately, that is not how it works. I can only travel between two places that I have already placed beacons at. However, I plan on placing one in Hyrule Castle, and then once I complete my trial at the Spring of Power, I will use it to teleport back as my escape route."

"So that still leaves us with how to get you there," Zelda added worriedly. "Could Farosh or Naydra fly you in?" she suggested as Link helped her mount her horse, which was a very physically straining task.

"Unfortunately, no. They are keeping Farore and Nayru safe. We cannot risk their lives until the goddesses are strong enough to aid us. Obviously, there are to many Faronites to even consider fighting my way there, so I will have to sneak in. I just pray that they have left the spring unoccupied." Once Zelda was situated in her saddle, Link glanced around for an available horse of his own, but saw none. She instantly took notice to this, and gestured with a dainty hand.

"Hop up," she said, patting behind her saddle. "We don't have time to find you a horse, and honestly, I'm not feeling too confident about riding right now. I could use the support."

Without hesitation, Link placed his foot in the vacant stirrup, and leapt up as he swung his leg over, landing just behind Zelda. The Royal Guards all shot him stern expressions of disapproval from their own mounts, as riding with a lady ―the Princess of Hyrule no less― in this way was overtly, and intimately close. However, if Link were to be honest, propriety was not his main concern at that moment. For one, there simply was no time to argue, and two, it was by far the least provocative thing they had done compared to the other ― _thing_ s― they had shared in private. A kiss being chief among them. Besides, if any of them had something to say about it, then he would have been glad to offer that they charge into an army of twenty-thousand alone, and take on the task of being the Chosen Hero.

He reflected up this thought for a moment after they spurred their horses into a gallop. How positively green in the face he would have been were the 'old' him presented with this situation. He had certainly changed in the past few months, he realized, although he could not say if it was for the better, or worse.

At any rate, none of that mattered. Demise and Ganondorf were temporarily halted, and he needed to get back to Hyrule Castle as fast as he could, place a beacon of Farore's Wind, and then bolt as fast a he can to the Spring of Power to defeat Din and restore the Master Sword's final Sacred Flame.

"I think I know of a way you can reach the spring safely," the Queen suddenly shouted over her shoulder as they thundered down Crenel Peak and over Rebonae Bridge. "There is an object the late King use to carry within him during his adventures as a young man. A small paraglider. I believe that if you make your way up Death Mountain to the north, you can simply leap of a high point, and use the paraglider to glide down safely the where the spring is located, bypassing the Faronites all together."

"Death Mountain is a treacherous climb, your Grace" Link commented. "I don't know if I could climb it fast enough."

"If you can reach the rivers of lava that are scattered around and on the mountain, the rising heat might be adequate to create an updraft strong enough to propel you to the top."

"How much time do you think we have?" Link asked next to Zelda's ear.

"Two days at most," she answered. "But that is for Demise and Ganondorf alone. I have no doubt the Faronties will begin their siege much earlier. I think mother is right. If you can make it up to Death Mountain, and then glide down to Deep Akkala where the Spring of Power is, then there is a good chance you can make it back in time."

"Alright," Link sighed reservedly. "It will have to do. We have no other options."

* * *

"It's right here," the Queen said as she rushed to open a dusty old wooden chest. The chest in question, was merely one of at least a dozen that littered a crowded weapons room. Link had never been in the King's Personal Armory before, but now as he stood in awe among the endless supplies of swords, clubs, spears, shields, armor, and bows, he wished he could have had hours to marvel over every inch of steel. "These were the weapons he collected over the years," the Queen had said as she trudged through the center of the musty room.

"I tried to convince him to get rid of some of it," she said as she dove head first into the storage chest, "but he was a very stubborn and insistent man… Perhaps a bit of a hoarder. He even insisted on keeping his Divine Beast in here, as if it were going to miraculously roar back to life."

"His Divine Beast… As in the Master Cycle Zero!?" Link's jaw dropped when the Queen absentmindedly pointed to the corner of the room where a strange, but large object was covered in a white linen sheet to prevent the settling of dust. Allowing his curiosity to get the better of him, Link silently crept over to it, and lifted the dust cover, the inner child in him bouncing with wild amazement as he gazed upon the ancient Sheikah technology that was the legendary Divine Beast of the King, an odd mount with wheels, which was shaped to appear as if it were a horse with a large horn protruding from its head.

"Ah!" the Queen suddenly exclaimed as she wrenched an oddity from the bottom of the chest. Link, loathed to pull away from the source of his amazement, quickly returned to her side and held out his hand as she placed a small metal a wooden mechanism roughly the length and width of his forearm into his grasp. "Stand back, arm out, hold onto it there," she said as she pointed to a small handle, "and then press the button by your thumb."

Following her instructions, Link held onto the handle with his arm out, and pressed the button. The moment he did, a spring creaked loudly as the mechanism whirled into action, instantly unfurling in a complicated flurry of steel, wood, and canvas, until at last a small paraglider formed.

"Oh my!" Link gasped in surprise.

"To collapse it, simply press the button again," the Queen said. "Just make sure you don't press it midair, otherwise you will plummet to the ground."

"This thing is incredible," Link exclaimed, completely enthralled by the device.

"Well, I hope it serves you well," the Queen said with a quick smile. "There is also another gift I wish to give you. It will help you, I think." Without an explanation, the Queen strode over to the west wall, where she pulled down a medium sized shield from the wall that was primarily painted blue, but bore the Royal Family's crest in red and gold. "The Hylian Shield has been passed down for generations," she explained as she handed it to him. "Although I cannot say with certainty, it was supposed to have been used by other Chosen Ones. Either way, it served the King remarkably well. I see no better recipient of this than you, Link."

"Thank you, your Grace," Link said with a wide expression of wonder. "I am honored. Truly."

"Better it be used to keep you safe than to let it collect dust in this room. Do you have everything you need?" Link quickly slung the Hylian Shield over his shoulder, and hooked his paraglider to his belt just below the small of his back, beside his Clawshot, and then checked his leather pouch, counting exactly two small Fireproof Elixirs.

"That should be everything," he finally answered. "Although I will need the Princess to recast her protection on my necklace, if she has the strength to do so."

"Go to her quickly then," the Queen said as she led the way to the exit. "She should still be in her room resting. As soon as you are ready, go to the stables. A fresh horse and supplies are already waiting for you."

"Thank you, your Grace," Link replied as he opened the door for her. "But if I might ask one last thing of you…?"

"Of course, what is it?"

"I wish not to be a burden," he began timidly, "but it would mean the world to me if you could make sure my uncle and cousin made it safely here."

"I will see to that," she answered. "We are gathering the people of Castle Town as we speak and finding them refuge within the keep of Hyrule Castle. Your family will be kept safe."

"Thank you, my Queen," Link said as he bowed deeply. "I am forever in your debt."

"No, Master Link," she began in an air of amusement. "We will all be in yours and the Princess' debt… Now go, you have many hardships ahead of you." The Queen did not even make it three paces outside of the door before she was almost trampled with a crowd of advisors, administrators, and officers all desperate for her direction for the coming battle. Leaving the Queen to what she did best, Link took off down the hall, fully geared, and made his way to Zelda's room.

By the time they had reached Hyrule Castle nearly an hour before, Zelda was almost falling from her saddle, requiring Link to hold her in his arm ―to her delight, of course. Despite her protest though, both Link and her mother insisted that she rested while she had the chance to recuperate her energy, and was quickly carted to her room. He felt bad for having to ask for her to part yet with more of her energy to bless his necklace with her protection, but this was going to be his hardest trial yet, and he needed every advantage he could get his hands on.

Which was why he was stuffing his mouth with cooked Stamella Shrooms as he briskly walked from the King's Armory all the way to Zelda's room. Having not eaten since that afternoon on his way to Damel Forest, Link was ravenous, but the mushrooms he ate worked wonders at replenishing his energy levels, giving him a much-needed boost. Realizing that he would likely not get the chance to sleep until his trail was complete, Link ate another mushroom, and prayed that he would last through the night.

By his calculations, riding to the foot of the Eldin region would take an hour or two, but from there things would go much slower. Given that he was not cut off by Faronites before he reached the Minishi Woods, he would start his ascent towards Goronbi Lake, where he would use his paraglider to catch the updrafts of hot air, and hopefully glide to Medingo Pond, then Darb Pond, and so on until he eventually came to the east slope of Death Caldera. From there it was a straight flight to the Spring of Power in the region below. Remembering the most important step in this all, Link briefly stopped to drop a beacon of Farore's Wind in the Castle Courtyard.

If everything went as planned, he would reach his destination just before dawn of the next day.

He was stirred from his thoughts, however, when he realized he was already standing in front of Zelda's bedroom door.

"The Princess is resting," one of the Royal Guards said, shooting him a suspicious glance.

"I know," Link replied stoically. "But I will only be a moment." The guard eyed him cautiously, then nodded to his companion before lightly knocking on the door. There was a long pause, but after a few seconds of waiting, the door creaked open slightly, and out peaked a small head. Gretel, Zelda's handmaid, looked surprised by the intrusion but nodded silently.

"The Princess' Appointed Knight is here," the guard whispered. "He says it'll be just a moment." Gretel glanced over to Link, then nodded again before whispering back.

"Let me check with her. One moment." The door closed with a light click as Gretel withdrew.

"Heard some crazy stories about what happened at Hateno from some of the Rito couriers," one of the guards suddenly said quietly as he eyed Link. "They say you came flying in on a dragon… Sounds a little made up if you ask me, huh?"

"You'd be surprised," Link replied evenly, shrugging his shoulders. This response warranted a rude chuckle, but ff his previous interactions with the guards of Hyrule Castle, it was definitely one of the milder ones, he concluded.

Perhaps things were getting a little better.

"I thought you couldn't talk," the second guard finally said after unknitting his eyebrows. "That's what everybody said."

"Can't believe everything you hear, huh?" Link replied mysteriously, rather taken with the idea of toying with their heads. "Somethings are lies sprinkled with truth, others are truths sprinkled with lies. Only way to know is if you've seen it for yourself."

"I'm not sure I would want to see some of the things I've heard," the guard replied with a raised eyebrow as he tilted his head downwards, as if to gesture to a very specific location…

"Like I said," Link began stoically, "truths sprinkled with lies. But I have to ask sometimes, does it matter?"

"Depends. Does it matter to you?" The guard's eyes were hard to read, but Link understood his meaning.

"Would it to you?" Link shot his question back unemotionally.

"I suppose…"

"That's what I thought." The door swung open before the guard opened his mouth to reply.

"You may enter, Master Link," Gretel said with a kind smile, gesturing with an open arm as she stepped opposite of him. With a two-fingered salute to the guards and a click of the tongue, Link entered Zelda's room, and Gretel closed the door behind him, leaving them alone.

"Well you look decked out," Zelda said, huddled on her fireside sofa dressed in a floor length robe. Link tired to appear as if he did not plainly see the Silent Princess proudly displayed in an elegant vase on the nearby table. It was a miracle the thing was still in mint condition.

"It's a long road ahead," Link replied as he kneeled beside her, removing his necklace. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."

"And I," Zelda began as she graciously took his necklace in her hands with a sweet smile, "am always willing to give you anything I can."

"Do you have the energy?" Link asked as Zelda closed her eyes to concentrate.

"I have enough," she replied without hesitation as her hands began to glow. "The real question is do you?"

"Not much of a choice, but I will be fine." She did not reply right away, as she was too focused on her spell, but after a minute, she opened her eyes and held the necklace out to place it over his head.

"Well then," she said as worked the leather cord over his ears. "Then take this as a parting gift."

He knew he was a fool for not expecting it, but the moment the necklace fell around his neck, Zelda's hands cupped the back of his head, and she pulled him in for a kiss. However, it was not an ordinary kiss, as the moment their lips touched, he felt an immediate flow of energy between them, which began to swell inside of him. He told himself he should pull away, but just as it had happened last time, he was completely, pathetically, and hopelessly her captive, ensnared in her loving trance.

He found that he almost moved forward as her lips moved back.

"You know you shouldn't do that," he forced himself to say, knowing that he should wholeheartedly believe his own wise counsel.

"Come now dear," she teased. "Where is the harm in a kiss?"

"Everywhere," he answered cryptically, still inches from her face. "You know my decision has to stay… Nothing can change."

"I find your lack of appropriate space unconvincing to your claim," she replied smugly. "One might think that you desire another kiss, if you were not to pull back." Realizing the embarrassing closeness between them, Link abruptly stood.

"You're making doing the right thing impossibly hard, you know?" he said as he strode to the door.

"I know," she replied. "That's why I do it, because frankly, we have different ideas on the 'right thing' to do." Link stopped several feet before the threshold of the door, and gave a long sigh.

"Stay safe, Princess… I will return as soon as I can."

"Stay safe, Link," she replied affectionately.

* * *

Link could see countless torch lights consume the hills of Hyrule's prairie land as he bolted out the east gate of Castle Town on horseback. Thousands of soldiers were flooding in through every entrance, and even more civilians lined the streets as they made their way to refuge. On the furthest reaches of Hyrule Field, already the Faronites pressed their advance, all though it had slowed considerably without their masters to aid them. Still, there would not be enough time to evacuate, as their escape could so easily be cut off by the encircling horde. The risk was to great.

Still, there was hope. With the combined might of the Hylian Alliance, and the countless war machines that protected the city, the Faronites would be hard pressed to even breach the Castle Town wall without the help of their oppressors. There was also the opportunity for reinforcements from the south, as there were still considerable amounts of soldiers stationed the Neculda Region, and the Great Plateau.

Link turned his back to this, however. He had an important mission to focus on; one that spelled their success or defeat. Always keeping a vigil eye in the dark, Link rode across the Helmhead Bridge just east of Hyrule Castle, and cut across the countryside to avoid using roads that could potentially belong to the Faronties by then. As he had expected, it took him a little less that two hours to reach the Minishi Woods, where he swiftly let his horse loose, and began to climb the rocky slopes of Eldin.

The traveling was brutal, especially under the cover of night, but keeping his eyes set on the goal, he pressed on. The higher he climbed, the more of the battle scene below he could see. Hyrule Field looked like a starry sky of bonfires from his perspective, where the majority of Ganondorf's army were spreading out their forces as widely as possible from Mabe Prairie, all the way to Mount Gustaf, which was already under fire from the Castle's catapults that were within range.

Luckily, there were no ground skirmishes. Yet…

One positive prospect to the Faronties being stationed where they were, is that it meant the Akkala Region must have been relatively clear of enemies, which was good news for Link. Still though, he was not going to let his guard down, as Farosh had warned him. He had been climbing for well over an hour before he caught his first major break in the steep incline, and as the Queen had said, he eventually came upon a vast river of flowing magma. Right around that time the heat became unbearable, so Link uncorked his first elixir, and downed it in one gulp. It was a vile tasting liquid, being an extract of a rare lizard species found almost exclusively in the Eldin Region.

That was the only snippet of information he wanted to know about the strange concoction, as he feared knowing anything more might make him feel sick. Steeling himself, he drew nearer to the pool of lava, and was immediately affronted by gusts of rising heat. This was his opening, Link decided, so he pulled his paraglider device free from his belt, and held it out in one hand. With the press of a button, the device snapped into action, and unfurled.

The updraft took him by surprise, and he barely managed to grab on with his other hand as he was sent flying through the air at an alarming speed. Still, just before he began to drift over the rive of lava, he evened out his flight, and tilted forward ever so slightly, and gentle rode the through the air. He took advantage of this altitude as much as he could while he drifted over the well-traveled road below, and on to his next target; Medingo Pond.

Below him, he saw the faint outlines of Gorons busy at work, maintaining their newly built canons in shifts, although they had ceased their firing for now. Gorons were not known for their ample night vision, so once the sun set, it was not even worth the effort to fire upon the enemy with blind estimations.

It was the same poor vision that left them unaware of the small Hylian floating above them.

They were allies, Link knew, but he was pressed for time, so he did not want to run the risk of frightening anyone by his unannounced arrival, which would potentially slow him down. Which was a bit of a disappointment, because he had always heard about how welcoming and brotherly the Gorons were, once they knew you were not a threat. _One day,_ he thought, but that was a thought for another time.

Link landed just off of Medingo Pond where he rested his arms for a while, and ate a quick meal of jerky neatly tucked in his leather pouch before unfurling his paraglider once again, and shot up into the sky on the currents of heat, and followed the river between Medingo and Darb Pond. After that, he stopped for a second break, and drank his second Fireproof Elixir, before making a large arc over Death Caldera, passing over Shadow Hamlet Ruins before landing on the ridge just west of Ordorac Quarry.

 _Dammit._

It seemed that his good luck had ended there, as he gazed upon the general location of the Spring of Power, loathed to find that Ganondorf and Demise had left him a little _present._ If the number of fires was any count to go by, there could have been anywhere from fifty, to a hundred warriors surrounding the area. Regardless of this, however, Link took one last break before the long fight, and prepared his equipment. Sword, shield, Clawshot, crossbow, Nayru's Love, Farore's Wind… Hopefully it would be enough.

Link drew his hood over his head at last, and unfurled his paraglider before he leapt off of the closet ridge, and began to drift down right above the Spring of Power, trying his best to avoid all possible contact with the countless warriors stationed there. To his benefit, Link landed within the waters of the Spring itself, and unequipped his paraglider, seemingly undetected.

However, that was going to change in just a moment.

"Dinraal," Link called out in prayer, thigh deep in water. "I have come to answer this final trial. Farosh spoke of a power that you will give me, to aid me in this battle. I ask you now for that gift, oh great Dragon of Power." Link waited for a moment, hearing no immediate reply. However, just when he thought to try again, a faint glimmer in the sky caught his attention.

At first, he thought it might have been Dinraal, but upon further inspection he found that it was actually something much smaller. It was not until it floated before his eyes that he realized what it was.

"Din's Fire," a rumbling voice echoed deep within him, but did not reveal itself. "It is power in its purest form… but use it wisely, Chosen One, for fire consumes all… Strength be with you…"

"Eck davval!" a booming voice suddenly shouted. Immediately, Link took both the crystal of Din's Fire in his hand, and wrench Nayru's Love from his pocket, and threw up a barrier around himself. It was just in time to, as the moment the barrier enveloped him, hundreds of arrows began to pelt every inch of his barrier. Link broke into a desperate sprint to reach the water's edge, holding up his barrier for as long as he could, until he finally reached the dais that stood opposite of the Hylia Statue in the circular arena of cascading falls. Calling forth the energy to unleash a furious attack, Link took hold of Din's Fire in his heart, held its crystal high above his head, and then slammed it to the ground, unleashing a sweeping wall of fire around him.

The more energy he fed it, the further and hotter the flames became, lighting the countryside up in bright reds and oranges. It was this same light that revealed something awful to Link. As he watched the sweeping fire spread outwards, the visual of his victims came into view as a hundred innocent Faronites were consumed by the power of Din, searing their skin until it charred and fell to ash, causing them to scream in abject horror and anguish.

That kind of power was terrifying to Link, but he realized this too late, for the spell had already been cast, and so his enemies fell around him. The drain of energy had also taken its toll in that moment, forcing Link to his knees momentarily as Nayru's Love flickered around him until he let its waning power fade into nothingness, leaving him bare and defenseless.

And then his dreaded opponent made her most unwelcome arrival. Din, unlike the other goddesses, did not enter as if she had been forced to come. No, she pierced the sky in an all-consuming fire of deep red, taking her direct aim at Link's chest. Unable to call forth enough energy to recast Nayru's Love, Din collided directly into him, almost shattering Zelda's protection in one fatal strike.

Link did not remember Din being so fast, last time he had fought her. No doubt Ganondorf sought to strengthen her even more than the others. Luckily, however, Din's initial strike caused her to rebound wildly as she flew in the opposite direction before tumbling into the water, extinguishing the flame of her cloak. This brief respite allowed Link to draw the Goddess White Sword, and Hylian Shield, then stumbled to his feet.

As soon as Din's sword of molten red flame was ablaze, she set into him with malicious attacks, barring against his defenses like a wild animal. Link barely had enough time to block them all, and sustained several costly cracks in Zelda's protection. Resorting to the defense of his shield, Link began to close the distance between them, trying to get advantageous angles of Din as he had done with Farore, but the moment he came within an arms distance, she would either leap backwards, or teleport away.

Therefore, Link decided on a new strategy.

Leading the fight to the edge of the Spring, Link began to take a more offensive, but physically draining tactic as he forced Din to fight him in the thigh deep water. If she relied on a flame to imbue her sword with power, then he would try to extinguish it. To his benefit, Din seemed to dislike this change of scenario, as she began to increase the distance between them, and even occasionally took to stalking around him slowly as her sword created sputtering bubbles of steam on the water's surface.

It was in one of these moments of respite that Link summoned the energy to cast Nayru's Love once again, dropped his Hylian Shield, and equipped his Clawshot. Din set into his barrier the second he opened it, which was exactly what he hoped for, because the moment she drew herself in, Link fired his Clawshot, latched onto the hilt of her blade, and pulled it underwater with all of the strength he had. The unbelievable amount of steam it released in that moment was just enough to scortch and stun Din long enough for Link to cut a great gaping slash across her chest.

Din fell back from the attack, and plunged beneath the water's surface.

For a moment, Link thought that he had won, but he saw her body lurch violently, and her leg swept under his, flinging him back into the water himself. He felt metal pincers dig into his shoulder as the last remnants of Zelda's protection fell apart. Link yelled and thrashed in the water as Din began to jerk him out with her hands before taking to the sky, towing him along with her.

Without a second thought, Link handled his sword into his free hand, and drove it into Din's stomach.

Din howled in pain, and climbed no further. There was a brief moment of airlessness as their upwards momentum fell pray to gravity, and then they plummeted back down to earth. In a panic, Link let go of his sword, and felt for the paraglider on his belt, pulled it free, and unfurled it just in time that he slowed his descent enough that when he hit the water it only knocked the breath out of him.

Din, however, crashed into the water in a booming splash, and fought no more.

Breathless, wet, bleeding slightly, and light headed, Link stumbled to his feet, and waded over to Din's body, turning it over in the water. Indignantly, Link wrenched the Goddess White Sword from her gut, and plunged it back into her heart, resulting a release of energy that sent great waves upon the water, and shook the earth.

As always, when this task was done, the golden orb of the goddess was released, and floated before him in a beautiful show of light before vanishing in the wind. Link fell to his knees from exhaustion, and took deep heaving breaths before finally pulling his sword free from the empty armor. The mind control amulet was there also, silently floating on the surface, so Link took it to the nearby stone platform, laid it flat on the ground, and destroyed it with a swift swing of the sword.

Link could not say if it would do any good at that point, but he tried it anyways.

"Power like this comes at a great price, does it not?" an archaic voice asked him. Dinraal's voice was considerably deeper than her sisters, although it did not lose the distinctly feminine texture to it. Looking to the sky, Link gazed upon the fiery red Dragon of Power, who great horns shone like the pools of lava that surrounded Death Mountain.

"I wish there was something else I could have done," Link sighed as he barely pulled himself up on the dry ground.

"You can learn to control its power," Dinraal said. "You can shape it to your will, with practice. But, do not let this cause grief in your soul, Chosen One. You are the Spirit of Courage, not the Spirit of Power. It is rare that the Chosen are called upon the use of such power, for great is the time of need." Link waited patiently as Dinraal slowly came to rest in the Spring of Power, and snaked her massive head before his.

"Now, Chosen One. You have overcome your last trial of Spirit. Allow me to restore to you the last of the Sacred Flames…"

Following the same procedure as before, Link drew the Goddess White Sword, and held it before him, and prepared for the force of her flames. How fitting it was that her flames seemed to bare down on him the hardest. Still, he remained standing for the ceremony, until at last Dinraal withdrew her flame, and allowed Link to gaze upon The Sword as it underwent its transformation.

Link's heart beat with nervousness as the blade took its final, proper shape and color, and the hilt and cross guard changed colors, and sets iconic design.

There was something different, however. The cross guard was much thinner than he remembered, and the color was a much grayer, and muted one. Link shot Dinraal a questionable glance, hoping for an explanation.

"That, is the Master Sword," she said. "But, it is not the True Master Sword just yet. Take it to your Descendant, Chosen One. Ask for her to bless it with her divine power. Only then will it reach its final form."

"Thank you Di ̶ "

Something caught his attention before he finished his thanks. Something wonderfully familiar. A beautiful song ringed ever clear in his ears, and a methodical voice spoke to him.

" _Master… You have done well…"_


	42. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's note:** Just a head up, this is a bit of a fluff chapter compared to other ones in the past, although do not be mistaken, there are many somber things in there as well. Next chapter will dive right back into the the ultimate edginess/darkness you've all come to expect, muhahaha!

I hope you all enjoy!

 **-Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter forty-two, The Calm Before the Storm_

"I have waited for a long time for you to prove your strength," Fi said to him as they waited in the bleak white nothingness that always accompanied the use of Farore's Wind. "The hardships you have faced and overcome are testaments to your resolve and worthiness to bear the Master Sword without the Spirit of the Hero. Few of your predecessors ever needed to reach that strength before. Take pride in knowing that you have even excelled beyond those which you idolize."

Link was not so sure about her claim, but he did not openly protest.

"So, Zelda simply needs to bless the Master Sword to restore it to its true power?" he asked as he examined the small holes in his shoulder where Din had grabbed onto him. They were not very deep, and would only require a little clean up. Nothing to fuss over.

"Correct," Fi answered intelligently. "I will tell her the blessing she must speak. Just as it was for the first of your line, the Master Sword requires the hand of those that possess the Blood of the Goddess Hylia to awaken its true power." Link nodded slightly, his eyes heavy with exhaustion.

"What do you think our chances are?" Link asked as he slowly shifted from his knees onto his feet, exhaling heavily.

"Of defeating Ganondorf and Demise?"

"Yes," he said, resuming the task of wringing out the front of his tunic, which was still wet from his fight.

"I cannot say," Fi answered. "I could try to form statistical analytics based on the information I have at hand, but there is so much that is unaccounted for. We have yet to see exactly how strong Demise could be, nor have we seen Ganondorf in action himself. I fear that my projections are simply obsolete."

"Well that's very hopeful," Link grumbled.

"Do not lose faith, however," Fi continued. "With the Master Sword restored to its full power, and the golden goddesses back on our side, there is most certainly hope." Without another word, Fi vanished in a flutter of light, and returned to the hilt of the Master Sword, where she rested, and awaited his call. Around that time, the stone pavement of Hyrule Castle's courtyard materialized beneath his feet, and on the horizon of nothingness flooded the familiar surroundings of his home city.

He was rather surprised to find that all around him were soldiers resting under the solace of the soon to be dawn sky, having spent most of the night either on shift, or having retreated with the forces from the northern front. Some of those whose' eyes were just beginning to creak open after their rather uncomfortable naps jumped to their feet in surprise when Link appeared before them in a flash of glorious green light, but he held his hands out peacefully and spoke.

"What news of the war have you heard?" he asked one soldier.

"Nothings happened so far," the soldier answered, slowly relaxing back down, although he kept a strict eye on Link. "The civilians are hunkered in and under the Castle. Only soldiers are topside now… But… Where in the world did you…? How did you…?" the soldier motioned with his hand in a poor attempt to describe Link's sudden appearance.

"Magic," Link replied mysteriously as he tapped on his temple with a single finger before slinking away into the castle. Every step he took on the castle stairways made his soaking wet feet throb with pain; running on only a few hours of sleep, and enduring a fight with Nayru, Farore, and Din in the span of three days was grueling work to say the least. He prayed to the goddesses he had fought so hard to free would grant him just one good day of rest before the Evil came barging in through their door.

He did not care if he had to sleep on the stone floor beneath him. All he needed was rest, and something to eat.

" _Link?"_ Zelda called to his mind as he entered the castle through the service doorway.

 _I'm here,_ he replied groggily.

" _I'm sorry its taken this long to speak to you… I did not want to distract you while you fought. I made due with just keeping a close eye on your lifeforce."_

 _No need for apologies,_ Link said with a yawn as he tracked further up the stairs. _I appreciate your thoughtfulness… Did you get any sleep?_

" _I did. Until I felt you begin your fight with Din. I take it went well?"_

 _As well as it could,_ Link replied, shutting away the terrible images of the corrupted Faronites he burnt to ash with Din's Fire. Luckily, it seemed Zelda had not detected that action in his mind. _I have finally spoken with Fi. There is one last task we must do to fully restore the Master Sword._

" _Another task?"_ she asked with a trill of worry.

 _Its nothing difficult,_ he said reassuringly. _Fi can explain it better when we see you. Where are you?_

" _In my room. I have already sent Gretel to fetch you some food. You need it... Now hurry on up before you pass out."_ The mention of food was more than enough to entice Link to pick up his pace. _"Mother told me that your family is well,"_ Zelda briefly mentioned before withdrawing her presence. _"In fact, she had them stay in your quarters, in the Servants' Hall. We've just about crammed every available space with those we could not fit in the Keep. I'm sure they would like to see you."_

As a last sweet gift, Zelda fed him a small burst of energy that soaked into his bones, filing him with a soft warmth.

Dodging his way through the over crowded halls of Hyrule Castle was no small task considering people seemed to slow as he passed. Some would look at him bewilderedly, blinking heavily under the rising morning sun light, whereas others ―some he could have sworn he had seen in Hateno― looked at him with a profound respect and gratitude. Even some of the guards parted with well-meaning nods. He supposed then that rumor spreading was a double-edged sword. It could cut either in his favor, or against it.

Link dared to hope that maybe things would not be so awful after the war… If they won, that is.

The crowds began to thin out a little the higher he climbed up the endless stairs of Hyrule Castle, until at last as he reached Zelda's bedroom door, all that remained were a few guards who seemed quite tired of the long hours. Keeping the peace in a castle filled to the brim with civilians was no easy task… Not to mention any trouble makers. Although, any real criminals were locked safely away in the Castle's dungeons no doubt.

Having spent a small share of his own time in those dreary cells, Link did not envy them one bit.

The guards, having already been alerted to his coming, let Link into Zelda's personal quarters without challenge, where he was met with the delightful smell of cinnamon topped oatmeal, eggs, and a hearty portion of cooked sausage. His stomach grumbled in a long yearning for a real meal, which he was very set on satisfying. Zelda was sitting on the small sofa she had sat on the night before, although now her eyes were less red and saggy, her long golden hair was pulled back into a neat braid, and she wore a shapely cut leather doublet, and sturdy trousers fit for battle.

She was positively fierce as she was beautiful, and the way her leather doublet outlined her exquisite figure only embellished this fact. She stood as he entered, and smiled warmly, the dim candle light of her room faintly casting a soft yellow glow around her face. Zelda examined him closely, and then her eyebrows furrowed perplexedly.

"You're all wet?"

"Only a little damp," Link replied. "I tried to wring most of it out before I came here."

"I do suppose the Spring of Power is mostly water," Zelda replied with a sincere laugh. "I'm sure the laundry maids have already prepared yet another clean tunic prepared for you in your room. Why don't you get some of that equipment off you while I grab you a towel to wrap up in."

"I don't mean to be a burden," Link began to explain but Zelda already strode off into to the adjoining room, which he assumed was her bathing room.

"And you aren't," Zelda replied amusedly, throwing a large bath towel at him when she returned. "Now, boots and equipment off, and dry up. Otherwise you'll catch a cold, and with the enemy lying in wait at our gates, we can't exactly have our Hero sniffling with a cold, now can we?"

"I suppose not," Link finally conceded as he ran the towel through his hair. "But I would like to finish the last step in restoring the Master Sword before I rest."

"Of course," Zelda replied with a nod. "What do you need me to do?" At this question, Fi appeared from the hilt of the Master Sword, and floated before Zelda, bowing deeply. Zelda was rather shocked by her sudden appearance, and jumped slightly, but after a quick second of recollection her expression eased into a gracious smile.

"Your Grace," Fi said.

"Fi," Zelda returned. "I… Its an honor to meet you… or, speak to you for the first time. Link told me that you have finally returned, but I was not expecting you to take such a physical form."

"It is true I have not appeared in this form for thousands of years," Fi replied, "as I watched over the remnants of Demises' soul, but now that he is free, I am able to appear as you have said."

"I understand," Zelda said. "Now, what is it you need me to do to restore the Master Sword to its truest form?"

"A blessing you must speak upon the Chosen One," Fi replied. "A blessing that I shall teach you, if you would take my hand." Fi extended a long slender hand to Zelda, which she took gracefully. When they touched, Zelda closed her eyes, and accepted the knowledge that Fi was supplying her with. Whatever it was, Link thought that it must be very important, as they remained locked in their line of communication for quite some time.

"Link," Zelda said softly as she opened her eyes, holding her hand out to his. "If you would kneel." Following her command, Link dropped to one knee, and placed his left hand in her right as he waited to receive her blessing. When she finally spoke, her voice fell upon his ears like a soothing song; so full of life and… love.

"Valiant Hero, you have endured many hardships and journeyed far in your quest to reach this place. Along your travels you have found wisdom, power, and courage, and for this I shall bless your sword with the goddess's power. May it give you and your sword the strength to drive back the abomination that threatens this land!"

Something odd happened when she finished her prolific and uplifting blessing. On the top Link's left hand, there was a shimmering of golden light that shone even through his thick fingerless leather glove. The golden light coalesced on his skin, bringing a wash of warmth and power with it, and then after some time it took a sharp and resolute shape.

It was the holy symbol of the golden goddesses themselves… The Triforce.

"That, as you know is the mark of the goddesses," Zelda whispered methodically, her entrancing green eyes locking with his. "They have bestowed this upon you as a sign of good faith, and their dedication to the survival of our land. This is the mark of a true Chosen Hero. Although their power has wavered, and they still fight to regain their footing, they are with us. Now stand, and draw your sword."

Link's heart beat nervously with anticipation as he stood to his feet, and slowly reached behind his back. In a slow and smooth motion, he grasped the hilt of the Master Sword in his hand, and drew it from its scabbard, bringing it before him to gaze upon the blade. In the breathless moment in between, nothing happened, but to his utter joy, something in the second after changed in quite a thematic manner.

The Master Sword's cross guard, in a flash of rich color, expanded outwards to its full, original width, and a sheen of white ran down the length of the blade, enhancing its other worldly pureness. All in that instance, the weight he felt practically vanished, and once again the Master Sword ― _his sword_ ― was lighter than a feather in his hands. A triumphant open-mouthed laugh fell from his lips as he beheld the Sword of Evil's Bane in awe and reverence.

The Master Sword, after so many struggles and hardships, was finally restored and in his hand.

"You know," Zelda began as she stepped closer and looked up at him with an playful smile as soon as Fi hand returned to the Master Sword and Link sheathed it. "I could brag and say I told you so. I said have faith, and everything will work out. But… well, do I even need to say it?"

"No, my lady," Link replied jestingly. "But I know of something you could say."

"And what would that be?" she asked with a mischievous grin.

"You could say 'let's eat, I'm starving.'" Zelda tried to suppress her laugh, but it was to little effect.

"Dry off first," she commanded as she playfully jabbed his chest right where his leather pauldron ended, and unfortunately right where one of the small holes Din had put in his skin was with her pincer-like gauntlet. Link winced from the sharp pain, and instinctively moved.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked urgently as she immediately placed gentle hands on his shoulder and began to examine him.

"Sorry," he said. "Its nothing serious, just a little sensitive. Din had a rather nasty disposition of digging her claws into my shoulder is all."

"Is it bleeding?" she asked as she began to rummage through the small leather pouch on her belt, and produced a soft cloth.

"Not anymore. It just needs to be cleaned up. I was going to go see one of the physicians before I went to sleep."

"Nonsense," Zelda replied as she began to unbuckle one of the leather straps that held his pauldron to his shoulder. "All the physicians are to busy tending to the soldiers. Remove your tunic and undershirt, and I'll clean it up for you. It won't take but a second."

"I… uh… are… are you sure? Its really not a problem, I wouldn't ̶ "

"Oh don't make a fuss about it Link," she sighed. "I've seen you in a lot less. Now the quicker you do as I say, the sooner it will be over." Link could already feel the heat under his skin begin to rise, but after a moment of hesitation, he bit his tongue, and followed her command. Starting with his equipment, Link carefully began to remove the weighty objects from his back and waist, while Zelda swiftly removed his pauldrons, until the fated moment came.

As delicately as he could, Link pulled his tunic over his head, and then his undershirt after that, leaving him bare chested in the worst place imaginable… The Princess' personal quarters. He thought for certain she would wince at the sight of his horrid scars, out of uneasiness, or even disgust, but he found himself to be quite surprised by the fact that her gentle and caring eyes made no change at all.

"That doesn't look to bad, actually," Zelda quietly said as she made him sit beside her on the sofa as she began to wipe away the dried blood on his shoulder with a wet rag. Every time her fingers touched his bare skin, it sent shivers down his spine, but she was unaware of that aspect. "Tell me if I'm pressing to hard, okay?"

"Its fine now that I'm expecting it," he replied. "But I'll let you know."

Link watched her closely as she diligently worked to clean and sanitize his wounds with such a gentle and smooth demeanor. He found that after a minute or so, his racing heart began to settle, and it became a little easier to sink into the chair. Or perhaps that was the exhaustion kicking in… He could not say for sure. About halfway through her work, Zelda stood for a moment, gathered his tunic and undershirt in her arms, and then hung them over a chair by the fireplace so that they could begin to dry quicker before she returned to his side and continued.

He knew he should have insisted that someone else do all this work for him, but then again… she was the one who insisted. If past experiences were anything to consider, he figured it was a fight he would sorely lose anyways, so he kept quiet.

Watching her work was therapeutic in a way. The muscles in her face were so articulate and expressive, and he could not help but smile when she bit her lip like a child would when they were focused on a specific task… This was one of those times that he could not peel his eyes away from her. He just loved the way her eyebrows furrowed when she was set on something, and the way her eyes lit up under the dim candle light made her seem so…

He could not explain it really, but it made her feel so real and attainable to him.

She was not the highborn Princess of Hyrule that he should never have nothing more than a working relationship with. In that fraction of a second, she was just Zelda; his Zelda. The fiercely loyal and optimistic one. The one who was stubborn to a fault, but ever so generous and thoughtful. The one who's endearing little nose crinkled when she smiled, and tied his stomach in a knot. The one who was smarter than any woman he had ever met, and left him speechless on a regular basis. The one bore such strength of heart and mind that all he could do was stand back and relish her in awe and adoration.

She was flawed in the way every Hylian was, but in his eyes, she was perfect in every way that mattered.

He loved her with everything he had within him. He now realized that he would do anything to be with her forever… If only it were not for his wretched inadequacy… Link knew without a doubt that he would do whatever was necessary to ensure the survival of her bloodline, even if that meant falling on his own sword, but… what if he could fulfill both?

That is when he stumbled upon a conclusion that challenged everything he told himself needed to believe. After all the countless self-scolding's and harsh resolutions that he promised to himself, even up to the night before… this moment of consideration worked swiftly to undo all of it. What if she was right? What if the goddesses did restore to him the right of fatherhood? Would it overwhelm him, and force a change of his Knight's heart?

Could he at long last have his beloved Princess?

He could care less for power, popularity, or money, of course, and he would be damned if he let any of those earthly things ever overshadowed the purest thing the goddesses had ever gifted to the world; love. He came upon the conclusion that he no longer cared what anyone else thought, but was that enough to abandon all sense of duty?

If it did, then that meant being king, and if that were the case then he would never rest until he did everything in his power to be the wisest, kindest, and most righteous king there ever was, just for her. If that meant that he would become the most despised knight in existence, then he would take every spitting insult and beating anyone could hurl at him, just for her. If he was left destitute and worthless, then it did not matter to him one bit. Just as long as he could be with her.

Although, if it did _not_ … well then his answer was already there… unchanged.

However, this all hinged on one thing… his infertility. If that single aspect of him remained, then he would force himself to let go, for it was the same love that he bore for his Princess that would ensure he did only the best for her and her blessed bloodline.

If it came to that, then he would wait, and welcome death like an old friend.

"You've never been the daydreaming type," Zelda teased, suddenly snapping him from his deep thoughts.

"I suppose I'm just tired," Link replied stoically.

"Well, I'm done here," she said as she tied his bandage into a neat knot. "Why don't we eat before it gets any colder, and then you can go rest?"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Link joked as he joined her at the small table on the far wall where their food sat, after pulling his undershirt back over. Trying his best not to wolf his food down, Link dug into his meal, and hummed with relief as he took his first bite. And then his second, and third, and fourth, and then Zelda started to chuckle.

"What?" he asked after swallowing, practically halfway done with his meal.

"Its nothing," she said with a playful grin. "Its just that I was a bit surprised by how little it took to convince you to dine with me ―in my room no less. I remember a time when you wouldn't even dare sit beside me. But look at you now, eating with me, speaking fluently with me. You even allowed me to take care of your shoulder."

"Well… I suppose I just gave up on disappointing you," he replied. "Also, after coming to the realization that nothing I can do will change peoples' minds about me, I guess I stopped caring. To an extent, of course."

"Disappointing me?" she questioned with a smirk.

"Yes. _Disappointing you,_ " he answered ambiguously. There was a long pause, but Zelda finally nodded with a slight smile.

"You've changed so much," she mused, as if she were talking to herself. It was a simple statement, of which she was content with just moving on from.

"So, how long do you think we have until the barrier around Demise and Ganondorf will break?" Link asked, changing topics.

"Tomorrow," she sighed pensively. "Mother has been busy at work preparing I'm sure… I offered to help in any way I could, but she insisted that I rest and gather my strength for when the real fighting begins… I don't like being so inactive, but I guess she's right."

"And there's no chance of evacuating the civilians?"

"Unfortunately, no. We would have done so as soon when we retreated last night, but the Faronites closed in around us much faster than we could have anticipated. With so many lives in the balance, there was no way we could clear out in time. We would have been sending them to the grave if we risked evacuating our people on the open roads… So, for now, we just wait are prepare in any way we can."

"The calm before the storm then," Link aired distantly.

"So it is. A good time for you to sleep and prepare yourself, at least."

"I have you to thank for that," Link said with a kind smile. "And this," he said, gesturing to the bandages on his shoulder.

"I wish we had time and a way to visit MiarindÍl. I hate that you are going to have that bothering you under your armor."

"Its not so bad," Link replied when he finished another heaping bite of his food. "It actually feels much better now that it's been cleaned."

"Good. I'm honestly impressed that you've made it out of the past three fights relatively unscathed. Then again, you are my Chosen Hero; marked by the goddesses themselves. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at all."

"About that," Link said as he held out his left hand and studied the glowing symbol on his hand. "Will it always glow like this?"

"I'm not sure, actually," Zelda replied as she held his hand in her delicate fingers, and gently felt the skin underneath. "My mark only appears when I call forth my powers. Perhaps it will fade away once everything is said and done. But at least your mark makes a very distinct message to any who would doubt."

"Doubt what?" Link asked.

"That you are in fact the Chosen Hero. I would like to see any foolish castle guard deny that mark on your hand."

"Well lets hope you're right," he replied in a long tired half yawn, half sigh. For the rest of their meal they spoke on small things, like where they would position themselves once the fighting started, and the contingency plans to countless what-if scenarios, until Link at last finished his large meal and sighed with satisfaction.

"Until then," Link said in continuation to their last discussion. "I think I better get sleep while I can, if that's alright with you."

"Of course, Link," she answered, joining him as he stood. He dressed in his tunic, and gathered his things while Zelda took it upon herself to pick up the Master Sword from where it leaned against the wall, despite the fact that it was as heavy as a boulder for her, and handed it to him ―or more accurately, he caught it before she dropped it.

"Did you forget it was heavy?" he teased as he lifted it in his hands with no effort. Before she answered this, Zelda took advantage of the similar height between them as he bent down, and pecked him on the lips in a spirited kiss.

"Nope."

Link was certain he did not even try to resist that kiss. In fact, it was almost the opposite. Perhaps his decision was not going to be as split as he thought.

* * *

As he moseyed down the Servants' Hall to his room is eye began to drift lower and lower, as if they were being pulled down by weighted lead. The sun was already up by that point, and shone obstinately through the windows, offering him no respite, but as he entered his room, undressed down to just his pants, and collapsed on his bed, it was not even five minutes until he was fast asleep.

His uncle and cousin's things were in his room, he noticed before he rested, but they themselves were absent. He could only assume they were gone to go find food, or were set on doing some kind of work. Either way, he could never have managed to stay up long enough to wait for them, so he just cozied up, and slept.

No dreams came to him then, which he was very glad of. In fact, ever since Zelda slept beside him that night in Damel Forest, he was miraculously unperturbed with any nightmares or night terrors. All he could attribute this to was her magic.

He just hoped its effects would not run thin anytime soon.

Regardless, his sleep was long, and much needed. Not even the nervousness of the coming battle that coiled in his stomach was strong enough to disturb him. When his eyes finally creaked open, the sun's beaming rays were cast on the opposite side of the room compared to that morning, and he could hear the ruffling of fabric, as if someone were sewing.

Sure enough, when he glanced around the room, he found that someone was indeed sewing.

Aryll, who's poor swollen feet were propped up on the bed as she leaned back in her little wooden chair, was hard at work mending a large tear in a soldier's undershirt, her eyes laced with such focus and determination that one could imagine her trying to carefully defuse a mouse trap without setting it off.

"Good afternoon," Link murmured as he began to rub his eyes.

"Gracious," Aryll chuckled. "When was the last time you rested? You've been asleep for nearly ten hours."

"The morning we last spoke," Link answered as he sat up with a sore groan.

"The morning we spoke!?" Aryll huffed. "What in the world have you been doing that's kept you up so long!?"

"You know," Link deadpanned. "Riding dragons. Fighting goddesses… The usual."

"I would say I don't believe you, but seeing that I've witnessed you doing one of those things, I can't say I'm lacking faith ̶ " Aryll's face suddenly contorted when she spotted something unusual. "Hylia above…" Link tracked her mortified eyeline down, until he realized she was staring at the countless scars that littered the once smooth skin all across his chest, stomach, and back. Without a beat of hesitation, Link drew his blanket around him again, concealing the horrors afflicted on his body. Aryll glanced at him with wide and horrified eyes, silently asking for an explanation.

"I got to experience firsthand the maliciousness of Ganondorf," Link whispered with a solemn airless voice. Without any further clarification, he stood from his bed, and pulled a clean undershirt from his armoire, and covered himself.

"How… How did you survive…? There's so many…"

"Like some many other things nowadays," he explained. "Magic." Once his upper body was covered, Link sat back down on his bed and stretched his arms and legs with little else to say.

"Is that why you have the mark of the goddesses on your hand?" Aryll asked as she put her sewing aside. "Magic? You are one of the Chosen, just like the King was right? We had heard back in Hateno that a new Hero had been chosen, but there was little news after the invasion." Instead of answering verbally, Link simply grabbed the Master Sword from where it rested beside his bed, and held it out to her.

"Its heavy," he warned as she reached out to hold it.

"It can't be tha ̶ whoa!" To Link's amusement, she barely even managed to lift it out of his open hands before dropping it back down. "How on earth to you swing that thing around!?"

"Its as light as a feather to only me," Link answered as he stored it back away safely. "It chose me, and then it broke. I went through hell and back to restore it to its true form. That is why I haven't slept until now. I was all the way in Akkala this morning before the dawn, fighting to fix it."

"You were in Akkala!?" Aryll gaped. "But how? Why!? Isn't it at least a full day's ride without an entire army in your way?"

"It's a bit of a long story," Link replied.

"Well I have nothing better to do than sew," Aryll responded. "Please, would you tell me everything that you've seen and been through? Ever since you came riding in on that dragon I've been dying to know!"

"You haven't heard the guards say anything about me, have you?" Link asked sternly.

"I… Well. I overheard them mention many things… but I didn't pay any of the negative ones any mind. They were mostly talking about how you just appeared out of nowhere early this morning."

"I figured as much," Link grumbled. "But I suppose I can give you a brief synopsis of what happened, starting with when I was declared as the Princess' Appointed Knight…"

For nearly a half-hour, Aryll sat on the edge of her seat as he described his adventures in Damel Forest, and his battles during the siege of the Akkala Citadel, where he was chosen as the next Hero. However, when it came time to explain what happened to him in the Phantom Realm, Aryll's questions began to fall heavier from her lips, as if they were tinged with a longing for understanding. There was an empathetic pain in her eyes, Link realized, although she did not relate any of that pain to him right away… Until it came to a horrendously _delicate_ topic.

"The guards," she droned almost in a whisper, her eyes distraught with worry. "I heard some of them say something about what happened to you… Something that was taken. In the Phantom Realm, I think."

"I bear many scars," Link replied with a knowing, but somber expression. "Although most of them will leave me unaffected, others…"

"I'm sorry," she sighed before absentmindedly rubbing her belly to soothe the child within. "I know it must be awful… I shouldn't ̶ "

"We've both suffered at Ganondorf's hand," Link cut in softly. "I can't say that I know _exactly_ how you hurt, but I know what its like to lose something. I know what it's like to feel so much shame and embarrassment that all you want to do is curl up on the floor and cry." Understanding flashed in Aryll's eyes, and she nodded with a pained frown, still clutching her stomach as she blinked tears away.

"I have lost somethings, yes," Aryll said, keeping her eyes fixated on her child. "But there are somethings I will gain. Somethings that I could never be ashamed of. I hope and pray you can find peace from your suffering too."

A long silence stretched between them, but it was a peaceful, painless silence, marked with an upspoken mutual understanding.

"I know he's caused us both great pain," Link began again, breaking the silence. "It's because of him that my mother… your aunt died so young. And everything else…" Link took a deep breath, and exhaled as he ran a hand through his hair.

"My mother died because of him too," Aryll aired with a distant, wet-eyed stare. "When they attacked, eight months ago now, they… did horrible things. Unspeakable things. She was so strong through it all, but she was never the same after that. Neither of us were. She got sick…" The words caught in Aryll's throat and she sniffled as tears welled in her eyes. "She fought so hard to keeping pushing on for me and father, but when she couldn't even summon the strength to stand and work… They cut her down."

"What was her name?" Link asked, matching her quite tone.

"Malon… She had the most beautiful red hair you could imagine, and a smile that warmed you to the core…" For a moment he thought that she was going to burst into a sob, which he would never judge her for, but to his amazement, a small smile stretched across her lips, and she rubbed a tear off her cheek.

"I remember every year on my birthday when I was just a little girl," she said with a sniffled laugh, "she would get up extra early, and come get me up. In the wee hours of the morning, she would let me ride our big old wagon horse, Geshure, the one father forbade me to ride because he swore up and down I was too small for and would get hurt, and I would gallop around the glen near our farm to my heart's content. You see, she grew up on a horse ranch, where you would think she learned to talk to horses ―the way she could get them to do exactly what she wanted, I tell you was nothing short of magical― so she had no problem getting Geshure up and at it."

Aryll paused for a thoughtful moment, and her smile withered only a little.

"It was such a simple gift, but I wanted nothing more. Mother always managed to keep it quiet too, so father wouldn't get all worked up over it… And then after that, we would bake my favorite desert together, apple pie, and sat around the table with tea while we ate and talked like 'proper ladies.' We always had a good laugh about it too, trying to mimic the _eloquent_ and _erudite_ manners of royalty, so to speak." Aryll, in good humor, spoke her piece about eloquence with a posh accent, and floated her hands around daintily, far be it from the truth.

"She was such a simply wonderful person… Goddesses, how I miss her."

"She sounded lovely," Link said kindly in a bittersweet sort of way. "I'm sorry she had to suffer so much pain. I'm sorry _you_ had to suffer so much pain."

"Thank you, Link," she whispered with an emotional countenance as she drew her arms around herself. "Thank you for everything. You were the first to come to save us… to offer shelter to us. We're in your debt forever."

"You are family," Link declared. "And the only family I have left at that. I would do it again in a heartbeat." Aryll's soft blue eyes met with his, and they squinted when she smiled, gratitude radiating from every facet of her expression.

"Well I hope you know that if you ever get tired of this big scary city, you will always be welcome in Hateno. It's a simple life there, but the food is good, and the people are kind. I'm sure father wouldn't mind having a strong and capable man such as yourself to help around the farm as well."

"Thank you, Aryll," Link said with an open smile. "If I do not take you up on that offer, then I promise I will at least visit whenever I can." As he stood, Link put a comforting hand on Aryll's shoulder, and gave it a little squeeze before walking over to his wash basin to clean his face. "And speaking of food, know where I could find any?"

"They've been serving food in the meeting hall to soldiers and civilians alike," Aryll answered. "That's where father is right now actually. He doesn't like sitting around all day, so he volunteered to help. They'll be serving dinner in a bit. We could walk down there, if you would like."

"I would," Link replied as he rummaged his armoire for a towel and soap. "Although, I need to bathe. I feel nasty. I'd rather go to war feeling clean first." Aryll laughed at this reply before finishing her sewing, and cut the thread.

"A city boy through and through," she said. "Always worried about food and staying clean."

"I am the Princess' Appointed Knight, you know," Link teased. "I can't be going around like an underfed, foul smelling dog."

"And Hylia forbid you turn away the nose of such a beautiful young lady," Aryll shot back with an michevious grin. "Although, if the guards have anything to say about it, I think she already fancies your fine looks."

"I'll be back shortly," Link declared without paying any heed to Aryll's puckish comment. "I will finish telling you my story over dinner."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want me to just bring you back some food?" Link asked as he helped Aryll hobble up what seemed like the tenth flight of stairs. "I wouldn't mind at all."

"No," Aryll said resolutely. "I need to get out and move around. It helps the baby. Besides, I want to check on father, and see if he is doing alright."

"If you say so."

"I do say so," Aryll said before placing her foot on the last landing, and sighed with relief. "That's a very nice tunic by the way," she said as they began to walk to the meeting hall, which was steadily filling with needy civilians, and off-duty soldiers. "Its brings out the blue in your eyes."

"Its been a while since I've worn it, actually," he replied as he rubbed the end of the light blue tunic between his index finger and thumb. "Not exactly the best for blending into the environment. But I guess here it doesn't really matter if I blend in."

"I daresay you look like quite the fitting Hero. That Sword on your back, and the mark on your hand ̶ " Aryll abruptly trailed off, and squinted her eyes perplexedly as she looked over Link's shoulder to a large crowd of soldiers. Seeing this, Link turned around, and his eyes locked on the source of her perplexity; a young, brown-haired man rushing to meet him.

"Jonathan!?" he called out.

"Oh goddess above, I've been looking everywhere for you!" They collided in a strong embrace, and laughed the laughter of long held friendship. "I heard rumors from some of the other soldiers that you just appeared out of nowhere this morning like magic. I've been keeping a strict eye out ever since!"

"I'm just so glad you made it out safely," Link responded as clapped Jonathan's back. "I was there when they ordered the retreat on the northern front."

"It was a nightmare there," Jonathan said in a most uncharacteristically grim way. "So much… death… so many vile, unnatural things…" Jonathan fell silent, and then withdrew. Looking into his eyes, Link could see something dreadfully familiar deep hidden within his closet friend. The Pain. He did not need to say another word to describe the horrors he had witnessed… he already knew. Far too well. However, this moment of consideration eventually fell away as Jonathan's warm smile resurfaced, and he squeezed Link's shoulder affectionately before his eyes drifted to the young woman behind him.

"Jonathan," Link began. "Allow me to introduce you to Aryll, my cousin."

"You're cousin!?" Jonathan beamed with amazement.

"Turns out my mother had remaining relatives living in Hateno," Link answered. "We met through either sheer coincidence, or divine intervention. I'm betting on the latter."

"Well, Aryll," Jonathan said with a great big honest smile as he extended his hand. "Its truly a pleasure to meet you. I've known Link since we were kids, and have been fast friends ever since. I count him as family, so naturally I extend that to you."

For a brief moment Link could not tell if Aryll was just red in the face from her strenuous climb up the stairs, or if she was blushing… On his second observation, however, the truth became much clearer. Jonathan always did have that effect on ladies.

"The pleasure is all mine, Jonathan," she replied as she took his hand in a light shake. "I'm glad to see Link has such kind and admirable friends in this overcrowdedly dreary city."

"Can't say I fancy the city either," Jonathan replied with an amused grumble. "That's why I transferred out to the Akkala Citadel back when I first joined the army. There's some beautiful land out there. Of course, it's a bit occupied now, but hopefully we will win it back in the coming days. Isn't that right, Mister Hero?" Jonathan clapped Link on the shoulder again, and smiled.

"I wouldn't make light of the battle ahead too much," Link answered. "There's a lot a risk here."

"The whole world is at risk, if the town criers have anything to say about it," Jonathan replied.

"Well… They're honestly not far off. But we can talk about that later. Do you have time to join us for dinner?"

"I don't go back on duty until ten," Jonathan said as he brought his arm over Link's shoulders. "I have plenty of time to sit down and catch up, if you do."

"I would like nothing better," Link said with a warm smile.

Getting through line of hungry people took much longer than they had hoped for, but they passed the time easily enough as they exchanged simple pleasantries and stories with each other ―Link briefly explained the Triforce mark on his hand to both of them― eventually falling into a very naturally rhythmic discussion until at last the three sat down at a small wooden table to dig into the overwhelming mountain that was Link's tale while they ate.

As he had expected, Jonathan had an endless slew of questions as he related what transpired in the Phantom Realm, but Link managed to keep things relatively brief, and was quick to remind him that most of his injuries were healed. However, Aryll shot him knowingly subdued glance when he skipped over the part about his mutilation. Having only been at Hyrule Castle for less than a day had not even given Jonathan the opportunity to hear of such rumors it seemed, so he paid no notice.

If Link were honest, he had rather hoped to avoid that topic, or really telling his tale at all for that matter, so as it neared its end he felt the weightlessness of relief, and allowed his companions to carry on the conversation.

"I'm sorry to hear about what happened in Hateno," Jonathan said to Aryll with an honest frown when Link had finished his story, and all questions were answered. "I was at the Citadel with Link when the Faronites first attacked. I know how terrifying and brutal it can be. Although, I cannot say that it was quite as rough for us. We had the chance to fight back, whereas you and your village did not. The fact that you survived, carrying a baby no less, speaks volumes to your strength and bravery. I daresay courage runs excessively in your family. I'm sure your husband is a very lucky man."

When Aryll's face shifted ever so slightly into a pained expression, Jonathan's eyebrows dipped into sorrowful slants. It was an easy mistake to make, Link knew, but he had hoped that Jonathan would have come upon the conclusion that she had no husband before he spoke on such things.

"Forgive me," Jonathan was quick to say, sympathetically. "I did not even think to ask if he ̶ "

"No, please don't apologize," Aryll interrupted, her discomfort melting away into gentle understanding. "You did not know. You see, the truth is I never had a husband… This," she said, placing a hand to her belly, "was something that was given to me that day _they_ attacked."

Link's jaw nearly hit the table when she so openly spoke. Jonathan, bearing an equally parted expression of shock and horror, glanced between them, and remained silent, completely unsure of what to say. When Link gazed over to Aryll, and studied her face, what he saw blew him away. It was such a simple expression, really, but there was not a trace of fear on his dear cousin's face. Why she chose to reveal such a horrifyingly painful and personal detail, in the company of men no less, he could not say, but she had, and with astonishing courage.

Jonathan's previous compliment was an understatement, to say the least. The bravery it must have taken for her to admit something like that… Surely the goddesses had chosen the wrong person, because of the two of them, Link was unequivocally convinced that she was the truer personification of courageousness.

And there he was, to afraid to even bear mention of his great Shame.

"A part of me will always hurt," Aryll said quietly, as if to begin answering their silent questions. "But tragedy befalls us all in life, so it's up to all of us to find courage and speak up, and help those who lack the courage to speak themselves." She paused for a moment, and locked eyes with Link. "Heroes are not infallible people of extraordinary strength and stoicism, you know. I think you'll find they're just normal people with extraordinary hearts, who are not afraid to share their pains and fears to help those in desperate need to find a way. In the end, were all thrust through life together, and I can attest to the fact that life is better when you are surrounded by those who care and understand… heart to heart."

A breathless moment passed, but Aryll's eyes continued to burn with astuteness and strength.

"Now," she continued, looking slightly past Link's shoulder, "I believe I see my father over there. I'm going to go check on him… Oh and Link, I think your Princess has just arrived."

With a wink and a smile, Aryll stood from her chair, and woddled away, leaving Link speechless. He exchanged glances with Jonathan, who was equally speechless, until after he cleared his throat he finally managed only a small sentence.

"You have a most extraordinary cousin, Link…"

"I…" He trailed off when he spotted a familiar face among the crowd, of who the surrounding patrons parted and bowed for. When his eyes met Zelda's, they squinted with amusement, and her teeth flashed quickly in the parting of her lips as she smiled impishly.

" _I think I like your cousin as much as I like you,"_ she whispered to his mind before presenting her self in front of him. _"she has a certain… bravado about her, wouldn't you say?"_

"My lady," Jonathan and Link said in unison as they bowed.

"Sir Jonathan," Zelda said with a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you've made it safely here. I hope you're getting ample rest before the storm?"

"Yes, my lady," Jonathan replied with a familiar tone. "And I trust you've been improving your blade work?"

"Well, I did beat Master Link a few times in a duel, although that was before we healed his fingers. I can't say it was a true victory, but I will take what I can get."

"Ah, say its not so, my lady," Jonathan chuckled with a jestful smirk, elbowing Link beside him. "He's got a bit of an unfair advantage if you ask me. Besides, I think its healthy when a man knows when he's been beat. Keeps you humble and honest."

"Quite right," Zelda conceded, matching Jonathan's smirk as they teased Link. "Now, could I perchance ask to join you fine gentlemen?" Zelda leaned in slightly and spoke a little softer, her smile never ceasing. "I thought it might boost morale if I came and enjoyed dinner with my people on the eve of battle, wouldn't you?" Link found no shame in letting his smile stretch ear to ear as he bowed again, graciously.

"We would be honored, my lady," Link said. "Please, have a seat."

As always, Zelda spoke wise words, for upon her arrival and declaration, Link could physically feel the atmosphere bustle with new energy and life, and soon nervous civilians began to huddle around and offer their most humble 'thank you's' and 'bless you's,' many even requesting to sit and dine with them. What surprised him to most, however, is how those same civilians treated him thereafter.

Many ladies, young and old, came to curtsy and thank him after doing the same for the Princess, and many men came and shook his hands like he was a reverenced war hero. The only time he could think of that compared to this showering of friendliness was when he won the tournament that determined him to be the Princess' Appointed Knight.

Zelda shot him a knowing glance, and then a smile… He wondered how much of it all she had a part in, but as the night went on, he supposed it did not really matter.

It had been one of the best nights he had in a long while.

If only there was not the ever-looming gloom of war itching the back of his mind.


	43. The Storm

**Author's Note:** Nothing to report here, just can't wait to hear what you guys and gals thing of this next chapter! More will come soon!

* * *

 _Chapter forty-three, The Storm_

" _Link… Link… Wake up…"_

His eyes creaked open slowly, and scanned the dark room around him. Aryll was still fast asleep on the bed, while he and Rusl were warmly tucked away in bedrolls on the floor. The sun was not up yet, but judging by the light level, he imagined it would be dawn soon.

 _What is it?_ he asked in his head. Zelda's presence felt… different. It felt like there hung a somber sadness above her, as opposed to her usually optimistic ethos.

" _Its almost time…"_ her voice trailed off solemnly. _"Dreams have come to me. I can feel the barrier weakening… and… I can't sleep anymore…"_ She hesitated, as if there was something she wanted to ask, but felt that she should not.

 _Would you like me to keep you company?_ he finally asked, theorizing that it was what she hesitated to request.

" _I… well, yes, but you need your rest… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have woken you just yet."_

 _No, it's alright,_ Link whispered as he projected the warmth in his heart. _I'm usually up around this time anyways, not to mention I got more than enough sleep yesterday._

" _Really?"_ she beamed, and the little golden light that caressed his mind fluttered. _"Are you certain? I wouldn't want to be a burden."_

 _I'm certain,_ he answered as he slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. _Besides, I want to be up before anything happens._

" _Thank you, Link. I'll be in my room whenever you're up and dressed."_

Link stretched his sore muscles as he stood from his bedroll, sighing with deep exhales until he woke up fully. Making sure that he was not loud enough to wake his family, he slowly began to change into his light blue tunic and pulled his boots on before strapping the Master Sword onto his back. With one last check, he ran his fingers through his hair, which was a just shy of three inches by that point, and squared away belt. Before leaving, he kissed his cousin on the forehead, not knowing if he would get the chance to see her again before the coming battle, and then walked out his door.

As he made his way through the endless hallways of Hyrule Castle, he ran into a number of off-duty soldiers, and sleepy civilians who were just beginning to stir in their makeshift beds. It was a quiet walk, but he was okay with that, and so after climbing countless stairs, Link finally made it to Zelda's room. The guards stationed there watched as he approached, and then their eyes grew listless, as if they were strongly set on studying something in their heads, and then without a word allowed him to pass.

Given the distance in their gaze, he assumed Zelda had spoken to them in their heads, and told them to grant him entry.

He entered the room, expecting to find Zelda sitting by her fireplace, but to his surprise she was no where to be seen. With a tilted chin, he glanced to his left and right, and was about to open his mouth to speak, but before he did, Zelda spoke softly to him.

" _I'm on the bridge to my study. I have blankets. Come on up."_

 _Odd place to meet,_ he commented as he climbed the small set of stairs that led to a short walkway with an exterior door at the end of it.

" _Is it though?"_ she countered with a hint of amusement. He shrugged his shoulders, as if she could see him, and opened the heavy wooden door to the small bridge. Zelda was there sitting with her back to the stone ledge, a warm blanket wrapped around her, and a small mug of what he assumed was hot tea. There was a second mug waiting placidly beside her, as well as a small plate which had a rather… delectable treat on it.

"I didn't realize sweetcakes were an acceptable breakfast meal," Link deadpanned.

"Oh, they're not," Zelda replied in quiet, but well humored way. "But seeing everything we've been through, and are going to go through, I figured we could spoil ourselves a little."

"Can't argue with that," he replied as he strode to the center of the bridge and sat down beside her, accepting the mug of tea she offered to him, and took a long meditative sip. Zelda was being unusually quiet, he noticed. Not that she was ever prone to over speaking, but he could sense in that brief moment that something was off. "So, what are in these dreams that have been keeping you up?" he asked, trying to stir her a little.

"Mostly they are about Ganondorf and Demise breaking the barrier," she answered slowly. "But… there are other ones. I can't help but feel like they're malicious dreams… like they have a mind of their own."

"Malicious dreams?" he questioned with a perplexed squint.

"Nightmares, really. I see so much death in them… I know they're just dreams, but they terrify me. Sometimes…" she trailed off for a moment. "Some of them were nightmares about you, when you were being tortured… It was like I was a prisoner, and I couldn't move. All I could do was watch you suffer. And then I dreamt about death. My father's death, my mother's death, our peoples' death… your death." She shuddered from the thought and pulled her blanket around herself a little tighter, hesitating to continue as she stared listlessly at the dim morning sky.

"I know they're not real," she began again, "but they felt like it." Link allowed a moment of silence drift between them as he took another thoughtful sip from his tea, and then chose his words carefully.

"I understand how you feel, believe me… but I don't have a cure all-solution. In fact, since _that_ night in Damel Forest I haven't had any night terrors, but I'm not sure why… All I know is that they stopped. I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but the only advice I have to offer is that you just have to find courage, and muscle through it."

"Do you think maybe MiarindÍl's magic had anything to do with it? Or maybe even my magic?" she asked hopefully.

"I thought that as well," Link answered. "Maybe once this is over, if they don't stop, we can go visit MiarindÍl, and see if she can do anything about it." Zelda hummed gratefully, and nodded with a slow motion, once again letting the conversation drift into a calm silence. The sun was just beginning to creep over the horizon at that point, and far to the south they could see the bonfires and torches of Ganondorf's forces waiting in silence for their masters' return. Given the peace reported in the enemy camp, apparently when he destroyed Din's mind control amulet the morning before, nothing happened, which was a dreadful pity. It must have been through some dark, corruptive magic that the remaining forces were fully bent under Demises' will, but there was no way to know for certain. Either way, there was nothing to be done now. The remaining Faronites would undoubtedly fight to the death, until at last their oppressor fell.

It was not a pleasant thought by any stretch of the imagination, but what choice did they have? This would be their last stand. It was either the survival of their people, and existence itself, or death to every living thing.

"Are you chilly at all?" Zelda suddenly asked, stirring him from his thoughts.

"Only a little," he answered truthfully. He always found that in the earliest stretches of the morning when his body had not yet had a chance to warm up just after leaving his bed, he would be only a little cold for an hour or so.

"I may have lied about the blankets. I only grabbed one." With a smile that he had been seeing on her lips a lot lately, the one that was endearingly smug, he surmised that this was very much on purpose, as she open one wing of her blanket to share, and by proxy, bringing them _much_ closer. As always, he weighed the propriety of the situation presented to him.

 _Screw it._

Accepting the fact that this day may very well be his last, Link decided that there was no harm in cozying up against her. Besides, he was beginning to accept that maybe there was still hope for them, if the goddesses were benevolent enough to give him but one single gift for his service.

The downheartedness on Zelda's face melted away when she beamed up at him as he removed the Master Sword from his back, then scooted in next to her, and took the blanket over his shoulder. She then took his right arm over her head, and pressed herself up in against his side with a long sigh of relief.

"I've always been jealous of how warm you're always able to stay," she said lightly.

"It's a natural talent, you know," he said jokingly. "The harder I focus, the warmer I become. You'd be surprised, I started a fire once with a snap of my fingers."

"Oh, I'm sure you have, Mister Hero," she replied sarcastically with a chuckle. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"You doubt me?" he continued impishly. "Why, I believe your very own father once possessed the ability to make lightning strike down from the sky, or create a gale of wind that sent him soaring. And yet you doubt my ability to start a little campfire? Me? The man who personally defeated the golden goddesses themselves."

" _Tsk tsk tsk,_ you foolish boy," she said, playing along. "Any true historian would know that those were powers given to him by the original Champions of Hyrule, which then left him when their spirits finally went to rest. And need I remind you that you have my protection to aid you in your duels?"

"Fair enough," he relented. "Although, joking aside, I could start a fire with but my fingers now." With his free hand, he dug into his pocket and removed the Crystal of Din's Fire, and held it out to Zelda. She carefully took it in her hand, and examined it like it were a rare specimen to be observed and hypothesized over.

"Din's Fire…" she mused with her eyes still fixated on it. "I feel like I've heard mention of it before… It was used by one of the Old Heroes, correct?"

"As Naydra said so," Link answered. "I believe it was the Hero of Time."

"Ah, that rings a bell. Have you used it yet?"

"Unfortunately," Link answered grimly, thinking back on the Faronites he had to kill by burning them to a crisp.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Power like that… Its not pretty, and hard to control. If I'm not careful with it, I could very well set fire to friend and foe alike. I only want to use it if it's a last-ditch effort."

"Well lets hope you won't have to use it," Zelda replied, handing the crystal back to him. "And speaking of magic, could I have your necklace for a moment? I would like to put one last barrier on it."

"Of course," Link said as he quickly pulled his necklace free. He expected for her to take it out of his hand, but instead she wrapped her hands around his left hand ―the one with the Triforce marked upon it― and began to fall forth her power.

"I realized something yesterday, after thinking back on when I blessed you," she explained with closed eyes as their hands began to glow. "Our marks are more than just symbols given to us by the goddesses. They have inherent magical qualities. I imagine if you focused on it hard enough, you could feel the energy radiating from it. These marks make us stronger, you know."

Following her lead, Link closed his eyes and focused on the flow of energy surging through his left hand. It took awhile to locate it, but once he slowed his heart, he could clearly feel the distinction between what was Zelda, and something… well something else. It was similar to Zelda's energy, but this new sensation tingled in his very veins. It was an odd feeling, but it felt right.

"I can feel it," he said quietly. "Its like a… warm tingling. It's different from your energy."

"Good," she said. "Now, see if you can draw strength from it. Imagine yourself siphoning energy from the mark, and focus on it as it travels up your arm and spills into your core. Use it to regain any energy you have lost." That was a bit of an abstract idea for him to understand, but visualizing in the way she described it seemed to help his cause. And she was right, as soon as he was able to grasp the energy, he could feel it swirling within himself, and it brought a wave of new strength.

"I did it!" he proudly stated after a minute or so.

"Like I said, a novice magician in the making! Although, I think you'll find your power is far different from mine. Yours, if what I see is anything to go by, seems to be centered on enhancing your physical body, whereas mine manifest into my sealing powers. Use it wisely."

With that said, her spell was complete, and she let go of his hand. He contemplated it deeply as he felt the smoothly carved lamb in his fingers, thinking back on its connection to his father and mother. And that was when a phrase he had not thought of in a long, long time came to the forefront of his mind. He could almost imagine the words echoing in his head through the voices of his mother and father.

" _Honesty, kindness, and courageousness."_

He wondered, after everything he had been through, after all the trials he had face and overcome, had he kept true to this mantra? He could honestly say in many ways he had not, but as a whole, had he made them proud? Sometimes he was scared to find out. He reflected on the days when the Darkling within him twisted his mind, and brought to him great feelings of self-hatred and contempt, but now that he had been freed for many months, it felt like that wound was starting to heal, although it left a nasty scar.

However, he supposed he could never know if he truly made his parents proud… only meeting them in the afterlife would bring that piece of mind now, and the way things were stacked against them, he worried that an early death would cut that opportunity dreadfully short. The Void, as the Great Deku tree had said, would consume everything… and that must have included the afterlife.

"You know, I believe we started a tradition; enchanting your necklace and such," Zelda said as she gently picked the necklace from his palm. "I think its bad luck to break that tradition now."

For a brief moment he was not quite sure what she meant by that, but as she pulled the necklace over his head, the realization struck him like a pail of bricks. Zelda, who was kneeling in front of him at that point, was only a few inches away from his face... perfectly within kissing distance. She neatly orientated the necklace on the front of his chest, and musingly fiddled with it, but had not looked him in the eyes yet.

It was almost as if she were shy ―or at least playing at being shy― but after she finished her odd musings, her emerald eyes rose to meet his. As large and as beautiful as they were, he could see the worry within them. He could not blame her, though. In fact, he was right there with her in that regards. True, they had been through and conquered so much, but their final "trial" was waiting for its moment to pounce.

Failure meant death for everything they held dear. How could one not feel worried?

He was desperate to comfort her, as he always was, and now that they were so… close... his lips and fingers began to twitch, aching to move. In actuality, he found that they were already moving as if they had minds of their own, and his fingers slowly traced up her long slender arms, but she had not moved yet. He realized that she was waiting for him this time. As it so seemed, when his face drew ever closer to hers, a recurring set of words came to mind.

 _Screw it._

The tips of their noses brushed against one another as his lips slowly drew in and caressed hers, until at last they were locked in an intimate embrace. As time went on, it became more passionate, and one of his hands made its ways up to the crook of her neck, and his fingers began to run through the soft golden locks of hair just above her nape. Absentmindedly, he twirled and played with the roots of her hair, which elicited a pleased hum from Zelda. His other hand came to rest just where the skin between her jawline, ear, and neck all met, and his thumb gently stroked her soft cheek.

Zelda, for whatever reason, seemed to like that a lot more, as her lips began to press harder against his as her mouth opened slightly before she tilted her head to the other side, and inched her body closer to his. She grew more excited as their kiss continued, and eventually her arms wrapped around his neck, squeezing them both closer together. For a brief moment he reflected on how odd it was, being a man of his… unique circumstance, that he could still find such immense pleasure in being so intimately locked with her, but the only explanation he could dream up that whatever powerful emotion drove him to these extents transcended the wants of the flesh.

It seemed impossible really, but he simply could not ―nor did he want― to pull away.

Zelda on the other hand, however, seemed overwhelmed by the urge to push on further, as she continued to inch forward until her body pressed against his, and her arms closed in further. He thought that perhaps at that point, it was probably best to stop her for going any further, but he just wanted to make her happy. There, in the calm before the storm, it could very well be his last chance to bring her any joy and comfort… How could he say no? The answer was he could not. Sure, anyone could accuse him of being mentally weak, but frankly, he stopped caring.

At last they broke away for deep breaths, and Zelda giggled airlessly.

"Well, that puts that debate to rest," she said with a smirk. "I see I've changed your mind at last."

"Don't get too keen on it," he warned. "It could be the last… if the goddesses choose not to intervene."

"They will intervene, Link," she said confidently. "And if they don't then I am willing to go on regardless."

"Zelda," he said seriously. "Promise me you won't try to continue this pursuit if things don't work out. I know neither of us like this, but its what has to be. That's all there is to it." Clearly his statement had not swayed her at all, as her eyes grew resolute and defiant, but she refrained from commenting on the matter further. Instead, she kissed him lightly again, and then returned to her seat next to him, pulling their blanket over her shoulders.

"Progress is progress, I suppose," she finally said with a kind glance. "Despite our disagreements."

Zelda leaned her head back against the stone railing, and gazed out to the rising sun thought fully, letting out a long yawn as she snuggled under Link's arm once again. They sat in relative silence for a peaceful hour, occasionally recounting their a few of their many travels across the land of Hyrule, and reminisced on how simple life used to be. How fitting it was that they could share each others company at their old midnight rendezvous spot in the last remaining moments before the battle that would determine the fate of their people.

It was an accursed moment when Zelda's easy smile fell to a silent dread as she stood solemnly and walked to the edge of the bridge.

"Its time," she whispered before turning to face him. "They will be free any moment now. We must prepare for the battle ahead."

* * *

"How much longer do we have?" Aryll asked fearfully as she helped buckle on of his shoulder guards of his armor.

"Not much longer," he answered, still fiddling with his gauntlets. "An hour or two at most. But its likely the fighting will begin sooner." When his armor was fully secured, Link buckled the Master Sword onto his back, followed by the shield gifted to him by the Queen. When he glanced around for his helmet, he came to find that Rusl was holding it in his calloused hands before he extended it to him with a firm, but kind expression.

"Take care of yourself out there, nephew," he said gently. "Your mother meant the world to me. I could stand to see you harm."

"I will," Link replied as he took the helmet, and tucked it under his arm. "And I have something for you both. Just in case you find yourselves in a dangerous situation." He walked over to his armoire, and from it he pulled his old longsword ―the one he used before he was gifted the ceremonious sword on his graduation day, and then the Master Sword after that― and then a large dagger.

"Take this," he said as he handed the sword to Rusl. "It's a sturdy weapon. It will serve you well."

"Thank you, Link," Rusl said with a strong hand shake before he closed in and clapped him on the back as they embraced. Link then turned to Aryll, who sheepishly stood by the bed, great big sad eyes gazing up at him. From his hand, he gave her his dagger.

"This should be small enough for you to use easily, should the occasion arise. Please, stay safe, okay?"

"I will try, cousin." Aryll wrapper her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a strong hug, tears just beginning to well in her eyes. "And you better stay safe yourself, okay, Mister Hero? Not a scratch or scrape you hear me?" she teased, although her voice wavered, and she sniffled incessantly. "I expect a full report when you get back, understood?" she joked in a stern voice, wiping her just under her eye.

"Yes ma'am," Link replied with a grin before he strode to the door and took one last deep breath. "Should anything happen to me," he began quietly, "but if we still manage to seal away the Evil, you two will inherit anything I have to offer. My only request is that you allow Eric, my landlord, to continue his business in my father's workshop. He's a good, bright kid… and please… My father is buried just east of Castle Town… on the gentle hills… I would like to rest there beside him."

"Link," Aryll began softly. "You'll be fine. I sure of it."

"Just promise me," Link reiterated.

"We promise," Rusl cut in after taking his daughter under his arm affectionately. "Now, go save Hyrule."

With that said, Link closed the door behind him, never breaking to look back as he struck out, his boots falling heavily on the floor beneath him.

His fated moment had come…

* * *

He nervously wrung the spear in his hands as he carefully peered over the castle battlements. Just on the edge of Hyrule Field lay the enemy… thousands of them… tens of thousands. The Hyrule Alliance was a force to reckoned with, but they had been losing this war ever since it began. They were horribly outnumbered, especially with their forces spilt down the middle.

"Jarvin," Captain Kerrigan called. "Best keep your head low, boy. Any second now archers could pop up, and skewer your head."

"Yes sir," Jarvin replied nervously as he crept away.

"We just received word from the Princess and hour ago," the Captain continued so that the Lieutenants, Staff-Sergeants, and Sergeants under him could hear. "The Evil has broken the barrier. They will be upon us shortly. It is up to use to make sure these bastards don't make it past our walls… but if they do, out first reinforcement point will be just north of Central Square. Keep an ear out for the alarms, and keep your wits about you. We must keep them away from the Castle at all costs. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" the assembly answered fiercely before returning to their vigil.

"How long you been serving son," Captain Kerrigan asked Private Jarvin as he leaned against the tower wall.

"A year, sir," Jarvin answered as he swallowed the saliva in his throat. "Engineer, Twenty-Seventh Division, sir."

"Who did you train under?"

"Captain Morint, sir. Back at the Citadel, but I was transferred here before the war began," he answered.

"You have a good aim?" the Captain asked as he looked to the ballista just behind him, along with the crew manning it.

"Yes sir," he answered honestly. "Although… I've never fired at any live targets."

"Well find peace in knowing you won't stand a chance at missing… It will be like shooting fish in a barrel down there, but there's a specific target I want you and the other men to look out for."

"What target, sir?" Jarvin asked. At this question, the Captain pulled a telescope from his belt and handed it to him before he began to point out his directions.

"Largest south hill. Track down the west bank. Two hundred yards to the left. What do you see?"

"Hylia above," Jarvin stammered with horror. "What is that…?"

"A Hinox," the Captain replied coolly. "Goddess knows where and when it sprung up, but it seems the Evil has conjured quite a few of them. I have already spoken to your Lieutenant, but I thought I might show you and the others personally. I want you to focus on them specifically. If they reach our gates, I fear there will be little we can do to stop their brute force. Its up to you and the other engineers to bring them down."

"Y-yes sir," Jarvin replied with a salute. "Eh, sir, where wil―"

The Private's question was cut short when the horns of war sounded off, alerting all nearby soldiers of movement in the enemy camp. That was when the real chaos began… Falling into action, Jarvin, and all the other soldiers in his company ran to their posts, and began to crank back the limbs of their half-ton ballista, a truly admirable piece of engineering. The rope latched into place with a satisfying click, and then the Loader to his right locked in the six-foot bolt, giving the all clear warning. As he had been trained to do, Jarvin took the handles and slowly point it in the exact place he wanted with the help of his spotter before engaging his locks to hold the weapon still.

"I can see movement," his Spotter called out as he peaked just barely over the wall. "Nine-hundred yards and counting… They're closing in on the outer tree line…" A few heart beating minutes passed. "Three-hundred yards… Ten count… Now."

"Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven… Three. Two. ONE!"

At the Spotter's call, the first of the horde burst through the tree line, and came careening to the with a battering ram bringing up the rear. The ram was a dreadful device, which was normally pushed by men, but to their abject horror, something much more sinister and terrifying forced the machine forward with alarming speed. Monsters that they had not had not had the chance to see or even adjust for.

Lynels… Fully armored Lynels…

"Holy shit!" Jarvin's Spotter cried out. "Fuck! Fire! Now!" At his call, Jarvin made one last adjustment, and then pulled the trigger, firing off his bolt with a loud metallic _twang_! It was no good. The bolt flew just past the back right Lynel as its massive hooves dug into the ground in a full-on gallop alongside its kin between the splitting forces ahead of them, gathering so much speed that he feared they would break down the gate in one fatal impact. The nearby ballista fired as well, but their bolts either whizzed past the Lynels, and struck the Faronites running behind them, or they missed entirely.

They were simply too fast, and their aiming too slow.

"Reload!" Jarvin commanded as he repositioned to help crack the rope back. They were only four turns in when they heard the first crack of metal against wood as the Lynels brought their full force against the front gate. The nearby archers opened fire over the wall, but it was to little effect. They Lynels' armor was too thick, and anywhere the arrows did manage to dig in only seemed to enrage them even more. Their fierce eyes glowed with a deathly red light, and their sharp teeth gnashed as they roared with anger.

 _Bang!_

Another strike from the ram.

 _Bang!_

A third strike.

"Ready!" Jarvin flew into action, and took aim, pointing his barbed bolt directly at the front Lynel, who was reeling back with his brothers for another strike. Just as the Lynel dug its hindlegs in to charge, he let his bolt fly, and it plummeted through the air until it pierced the monster's chest. The beast faltered, but to his disbelieving eyes, it stood back up in defiance, and roared as they rammed the gate again, resulting in a horribly loud booming crack!

"They breached the gate!" a distant voice yelled. All in an instance, hundred of Faronite forces poured in behind the Armored Lynels, joining in on the battle on the ground below, resulting in the loudest uproar of war cries, clashing metal, and explosions Jarvin had ever heard. Keeping to his post, he and the other engineers pushed their ballista on the metal tracks that ran along the outer wall, and began to take their aim on the Lynels once again. That was their one and only target now, since their bolts would have been wasted on smaller infantry units. The Lieutenant Engineer reinforced this instinctive decision by shouting out his commands from the upper battlement tower, as he directed the nearest machines.

It took countless tries, but with a dozen ballista all aiming at the same four targets, before long they finally brought down the Lynels, who suffered anywhere from three to six full length bolts through the chest, head, or stomach, and when they died, they erupted into smoldering clouds of crimson and black smoke. This momentary victory, however, was sorely crushed when a recurring scream echoed across the battlements.

"Draw your weapons!"

The Faronites had already swarmed the stations below, and were climbing their ways to the top of the walls, eventually pouring out on to the battlements with a lust for blood in their red, glowing eyes. Jarvin wrenched his spear from its weapons rack, and joined his fellow men in the fight, despite the fact that his heart beat so hard that he could feel it in his ears. He was terrified to say the least, but he relied on the adrenaline flowing through his veins to push him to the fight. It was horrifying to watch. The Faronites… they were… brutal savages. They wore no armor, but they were fearless, and endless. He jabbed his spear as fast as his armors would allow, but as he pierced each enemy in front of him, he could feel his strength begin to waver and fail.

His shield-brothers were also being overwhelmed by the numbers. They were split from the west wall companies, cutting their forces to just below eighty men, but the Faronites… well there was no short supply of them. A few of his companions fell to their swords, but there was no hope in retrieving them. The advance was merciless. Jarvin was back peddling with every thrust of his spear ―which need very little aiming as the throng of madmen in front of him seemed to careless about the safety of their own bodies as they surged forward with their weapons raised high.

"Retreat," the Lieutenant finally cried as they were pushed back to the third tower door. It was a narrow passage, unfortunately, so the front men were forced to hide behind shields as they speared and cut down the horde in front of them while the men behind quickly retreated through the opening. Many more of their men fell to this cause, but there was simply nothing they could do.

It was just before Jarvin dove into the passage that he saw something massive peak its ugly, monstrous eye over the wall, all while it licked its lips greedily.

"Watch out!" Jarvin cried as a massive three-fingered hand came sweeping across the battlement, and scooped up a number of Hylian soldiers, as well as a few Faronites, and shoved them all in its gaping mouth as they screamed in petrified agony.

Jarvin could audibly hear the crunch of their bones, and the gushing of their flesh within the Hinox's mouth.

The fear at that point became so unbelievable that he turned on his heel, and ran into the backs of his comrades in a desperate attempt to claw his way forward to safety, all while wailing obscenities. More horrifying screams tore at his ears as he closed his eyes and pushed forward, eventually making his way to the small wooden walkway that lead to the other side of the east wall. Once the surviving forces were across, they retracted the wooden walkway, all while fighting off any enemies that braved the jump over the hole they were creating until at last their exit was secured for the time being. When everything was said and done, less that fifty men survived the ordeal, but there was no time to mourn.

"Barricade the door!" the Lieutenant ordered before they began their retreat in earnest. "We will meet up with the main forces at the Moat Bridge."

That was an order they were all sure they could follow, so with as much haste as they could muster, Jarvin and the surviving engineers bolted down the small staircase, shoulder to shoulder, until they finally broke out onto the ground below on the eastern bank of Castle Town. Luckily, the battle had not reached that quadrant yet, so they made quick work of their sprint to their shield brothers that were just north of Central Square.

Things were not looking good.

A few battalions of Gerudo and Zora Warriors were their too, but even with their added skills, there was practically nothing they could do with the advancing horde. There were simply to many of them, and with the added terror of the Hinoxes that stomped around, squashing, or eating the men below them, they were already on their last few inches of survival.

How could they lose Castle Town so quick?

It had happened so fast. Jarvin tried to recall exactly how long… a half-hour? Not even that seemed right. It could not have been more than a quarter hour at best, and yet here they were, already at the cusp Hyrule Castle's moat. Where was this supposed _Hero_ now!? Where was the Princess? Where were they in this dire time!?

"Its hopeless!" he said to his Lieutenant fearfully as they took their positions beside the main forces.

"I know," the Lieutenant replied vehemently. "We have to order a retreat soon. Our only hope now is that the Castle Gate will keep them out long enough."

"But how!? Those monsters broke through so quick at the outer wall?"

"I don't know!" he retorted. "But its all we got! Stay put until we receive word!"

The next few minutes could only be described as hell on earth. So many men began to fall beside him, and he was forced to take up a shield as he backed away, guarding his body, and thrusting his spear through the enemies that rushed to meet him. Until that day, he had never killed another man, and even though the thought made him sick to the stomach, instinct and a sense of self preservation kicked in, pushing him to the edge. Ever slowly, the few hundred soldiers that had bravely fought to keep Castle Town safe were corralled in the Central Square, completely surrounded on all sides except their backs. The call for a retreat was all but unavoidable.

"To the Castle!" countless voices shouted, and soon the remaining ground forces retreated over the bridge, while the front guard kept their shields locked as they took fearful steps backwards. They were only hald way over the bridge when the arches on the upper battlements began to rain down showers of arrows on the advancing horde, including the meandering Hinoxes, although their arrows had very little effect on their thick hides.

Jarvin, being stationed just behind the front guard was the group that was second to last to retreat through the massive metal gates that led to Hyrule Castle, but once he did, he wrenched his helmet free from his head and took heaving, panicked breaths.

"Don't stop!" a familiar voice said as he was pushed along. "Fall back, then shields up! We wait at the gate."

 _Goddesses, please!_ he begged, _please make it stop!_

There came no answer, so he gathered what little of his courage remained, lifted his shield, and locked into the forming blockade alongside his comrades. Each man, helmet or not, were visibly terrified. They were expecting men, and whatever the… _Evil_ was, but these fell monsters!? No one except unlucky travelers had seen such beasts roam the land ever since the rise of Hyrule. They were thought to have been on the brink of extinction.

Evidently not, for as the last remaining troop made it through the gate, along with a handful of Faronites who were killed on the spot, the doors were slammed shut and barricaded, until to come under a constant barrage of loud, metal-rattling _bangs!_

"Fire on the Hinoxes!" the engineers on the wall above shouted as they unleashed bolt after bolt, and yet the banging continued.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

The massive metal hinges of the castle gate creaked and rattled with every battering of fists from the one-eyed giants. There was no hope to hold them back, Jarvin surmised, his arms and legs trembling anxiously. This was it. There was nowhere else to go.

Where was this supposed _Hero!?_

That derisive question, however, was promptly met when a soldier pushed past him, bearing a Hylian Shield of blue which displayed the crimson bird of the Royal Family, and a sword… but was it _the Sword?_ Of all the rumors he had heard, apparently the " _Chosen One"_ had lost or broken it… but the sword on his back matched the descriptions and paintings that he had heard and seen. A blue scabbard, and purple hilt and cross guard, which curved towards the blade.

It had to be him… but Jarvin only caught a glimpse of him, and his helmet covered his face.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

The bearer of the Master Sword drew ever closer to the front line, until at last he pressed past the locked shields of the Hylian soldiers… All eyes tracked this… _man_ , until he stopped a few yards away, and stared up at the doors.

"What is he doing?" someone scoffed in disbelief. "He's going to get run down the moment they break through… or those doors are going to fall on him…"

"He's a madman," someone else whispered.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

The hinges began to bend and groan with stress as the metal gate warped and bent. Any second now those doors would be blown from their hinges, and crush the fool standing before them. Jarvin kept his eyes locked on the Bearer, but he never moved. Instead, he did something absolutely… insane. This _man_ carefully pulled his helmet from his head, and dropped it to his side, revealing locks of short golden hair underneath.

It was him all right… but Jarvin was uncertain if he should feel comforted, or even more scared. After everything he had heard about this supposed Hero indicated that he was either a coward, or a eunuch, or a murderer, or even all three at this same time, or sometimes misunderstood, but… the Royal Family pardoned him… and then even more conflicting rumors surfaced about him… Who could he trust at this point? Jarvin could not say, but all those thoughts vanished when he saw the _Hero_ turn his head back, and glanced at them all with wide eyes.

However, they were not normal eyes as one would expect… they were fully white, and shone like stars…

"What the fu―" Their confused profanities were cut short by the pounding at the gate, and soon the hinges began to reach their breaking point.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _BOOM!_

The great metal gates of Hyrule Castle were wrenched from their hinges, and began to fall forward, solidifying the fact that the _Hero_ was going to be crushed beneath them.

And then the unbelievable happened.

Just as the massive gates, which weighed several tons each, came crashing down on the Hero, but he held his hands up… and caught them! More than that, he caught them, and held them above his head before throwing them to each side of him, which turned up a cloud of dust in the ground-shaking wake. When the dust finally settled, before them crept forward a massive Hinox, who peered down at the glowing-eyed Hero, who stood defiantly in the beast's way. The jaws of every soldier that watched hung wide open as he stood unwavering before the monster, before pulling forth the Master Sword from its scabbard, its blade shining with an ethereal blue light, and held it skyward.

A beat passed.

And then from the heavens cracked a ear-deafening lightning strike that stuck the length of the Hero's Blade, which only glorified its unearthly glow, and then he gave out the loudest battle cry they had ever heard, and swung the Sword in front of him in a wipe sweeping vertical attack.

There was then a blinding flash of white and blue light, and a loud boom. When their vision finally returned, they gaped in awe at what was before them. There he stood, the Chosen Hero, the Master Sword in his hands, and the Hinox… who was cut cleanly in half, and dropped into two slices of wretched flesh and bone.

No one moved except the Hero. He turned to face the Hylian Army, his glowing eyes scanning their disbelieving faces, then smirked. It occurred to Jarvin that whatever this Hero was, he was not Hylian…

He was something else… He was like… like a fierce deity.

This deity then flew into action as he zipped forward to the front lines of the enemy, his shining sword effortlessly slicing through several targets all at once as the steel of his blade blurred into a constant trail of blue light. He was faster than any living this they had ever seen, and far stronger than any Hylian could ever be.

* * *

 _Minutes before the breach of Hyrule Castle's Gate_

* * *

"We're losing this fight already, Zelda," Link said as he watched from the Castle wall. "Where are they?"

"They're almost here," she replied fearfully as her eyebrows furrowed in concentration while searching for the Evil. "We have to do this as quickly as possible, Link… We won't be able to defend our home for long unless we eliminate them." Link began to pace on the pavement, fuming with frustration. Down there, countless lives were being lost, but there was nothing he could do. Sure, he could go down there and fight alongside the other men, but he was just one man, and Zelda needed him beside her for when Ganondorf and Demise turned up.

"Is there anything we can do?" Link asked desperately.

"I… I don't know," she replied after finally opening her eyes. "I could try to create a barrier, but its nearly impossible to conjure one that can block arrows and sword in such a wide area, and sustain it with enough energy to withstand the onslaught."

"Then I will use Nayru's Love," Link said as he pulled the blue crystal from his pocket.

"But we must wait until _They_ turn up," she insisted, although she clearly did not like the thought. "We can't afford to waste energy before the fight."

"They're dying down there, Zelda," Link pleaded. "We have to do som―"

All at once, it felt as if he fainted, and his vision was flooded with nothing but pure white light. It was the oddest sensation he had felt. It was as if he could feel his body plummet and hit the ground, but it felt so distant, as if his head was not even in his own skull. Link was just about to panic, when suddenly a singular voice echoed across his mind. A deep, terrifying one.

"Chosen One," the voice said. "The hour of your final battle begins…"

"Who are you?" Link managed to ask as his voice reverberated around him, but he saw no other soul in the white light.

"I have been known to only a few of your people," the voice answered ominously. "And fewer still have any of your predecessors had need of my power. Only one other of your lineage has bound their strength with mine, many years ago… when the moon threatened to end all life in a far off land."

"I don't understand," Link said bewilderedly.

"Such is the always the case, Chosen One… if it helps clear your mind, observe it as I do. You are the successor of the right to bear the Spirit of the Hero, making you the chosen Champion of Hylia, as it was in the old days…"

"Okay?" Link asked guardedly.

"Hylia was, above all else, the guardian of this earth, but greater than she was the three goddesses; Farore, Nayru, and Din, who were the creators of that earth."

"I'm familiar," Link replied sorely as he felt the bound shoulder, only to realize he had no shoulder _to_ feel.

"Well then," the voice replied sternly. "If you are the Champion of Hylia, then I am the Champion of the golden goddesses themselves. I am, as those of your race knew of me, called the Fierce Deity."

"So you're on our side?" Link asked with no small amount of reservation.

"I am on the side of the goddesses," he answered. "And you have been deemed worthy by them to be given this last gift to aid you in your battle. With their powers still recovering, I believe you will find that they can do nothing more than this."

"And what is that gift exactly?"

"Let me show you…" With that said, Link felt his consciousness hurled back into his body, and he immediately shot up with a gasping breath.

"Link!" Zelda yelped as she cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Are you oka― Hylia alive, what is wrong with your eyes!?"

"What do you mean?" Link asked urgently.

"They're…" Her mouth hung wide open. "They're glowing… glowing white."

"What!?" Link propped himself up on one arm to stand, but as he did so, he instinctively extended his arm and contracted the muscles in his abdomen, and to his complete surprise he practically flew upright in the air with no more effort than lifting a pencil. "Holy― what is this!?"

Now that he had a moment to contemplate it, he felt… strong. Unbelievably strong. And he swore he could see, hear, and smell better. It was as if every one of his physical and mental abilities were accelerated to new and incredible heights. And then he recalled what the Fierce Deity said to him. Was this the power he spoke of?

"Link, what is going on?" Zelda asked frightfully.

"There's no time, Zelda," he said as he pulled his helmet over his head. "The goddesses have given me one last gift, I think. I will be back as soon as I see trouble."

"Link, what do you mean!?"

"There's no time, just trust me!" Without another word, Link stepped up onto the stone ledge, and leapt off, fully confident that no harm would come to him. How he knew this, he could not say, but it just felt like… instinct. Raw, unkempt, powerful instinct. He heard Zelda scream his name as he plummeted to ground below, but the moment he impacted with the ground his body retracted, and absorbed the impact perfectly, hurting no more than if he had jumped from five feet instead of twenty.

"Link!" Zelda cried again, so he looked up to her and waved.

"I'm fine," he said before bolting down the street and directly into the thicket of warriors that were amassing at the front gate.

" _Link,"_ Zelda said to him in his mind. _"Tell me what's going on. How in the name of all that is holy did you just jump that far without a moment of pain!?"_

 _The goddesses,_ he answered, again as everything came to him instinctively, despite the fact that he had no idea where he learned it. _They have given me one last gift. I carry with me a spirit. A very old and powerful spirit. A Fierce Deity. As he put it, if I am the Champion of Hylia, than he is the Champion of the goddesses themselves._

" _Link I still don't understand!"_

 _You don't have to,_ he retorted. _Just trust me, and watch._ Zelda said no more, but he could feel her presence still gripping onto every facet of his mind, as if she were trying to see the world through his eyes. In the distance he could hear a terrible racket at the front gate, so he cut his way through the terrified ranks of the Hylian Alliance, until at last he broke through the front forces and stood before the gate, which was ready to fall any moment now. He stood under its oppressive shadow for a moment longer, until he decided that a helmet would only hinder his vision, so he ripped it from his head and dropped it to the side. Behind him he could hear scared voices whispering, but he payed little attention to them.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _BOOM!_

Just as he had planned, the front gate doors burst of their hinges, and Link caught them in his hands before they crushed him. It was a taxing endeavor, but considering the sheer weight of the behemoths, he was quite impressed with his newfound strength. As soon as he cast the doors aside, he wrenched the Master Sword from his back, and lifted it skyward, and asked Fi something he had wanted to do ever since his ancestor described it to him.

 _Fi, Skyward Strike, now!_

" _Yes Master!"_

He got more than he barged for however, but he was not about to complain. Deep down he knew the Fierce Deity's power had only strengthened this attack, so as soon as he released it, he watched with awe as it cut clean through the towering Hinox that dared to oppose him in the settling dust. The Faronites, with their glowing red eyes glared at him with malice in their hearts… there was no turning them back now until Ganondorf and Demise had been sealed away. It was truly a bitter shame, but there was little else he could do.

They would murder every man, woman, and child if left to their own devices, and he had to prevent that at all costs.

With his Sword firmly grasped in his hand, Link prepared himself to charge… This was his moment. Before he leapt forward however, he shot the soldiers behind him a large smirk, hoping to bolster their spirits, and then he surged into action. The world moved past him all in a blur, and yet he comprehended every moment of it as he effortlessly sliced his way through scores of enemies without breaking a sweat. They did not even have the time nor capability of blocking his attacked as he whizzed through their ranks, cutting down man and beast alike.

There were more Hinoxes too, Link saw, so he lowered his shoulder and he charged through their ranks, knocking over those who got in his way until he came to the feet of his second giant opponent, and slid between its stubby legs to reach its flesh back quicker. Once he was back on his feet and turned around, Link leapt up onto the creature's shoulders ―a good ten feet in the air― and drove the Master Sword into his thick skull, killing it immediately. As the monster fell to his knees, Link scanned the area from this vantage point and located his next target.

A gold Lynel in a full gallop, barreling down the stone causeway.

He pulled his Clawshot from his belt, and took aim, knowing exactly where to put it so that he would hit his target. It just all felt like instinct to him. Sure enough, as the chained whirled through the air, the claw latched onto the Lynels arm, and he leapt into the air as the device pulled him in. With his sword aimed right where he wanted it, Link came flying in, and beheaded the beast in one clean swipe.

Once again, he scanned the area, and spotted his next few monsters to kill. However, he realized that his time was a precious resource, so he decided to use a powerful, but dreadful magic.

If only there were another way… but there simply just was not enough time. At least he was confident that he could fully control it now. As quickly as he could, Link fought his way back into the center of the enemy forces, summoning Nayru's Love around him to protect him from endless barrages of arrows, and then took Din's Fire in hand, called forth the power to annihilate the enemies around him, and prepared to activate the spell that would send a massive wave of all consuming fire.

And then something wonderful occurred to him. As he channeled energy into the spell, he could feel it bend and meld to his will… he could tell it who to kill and who to spare. Dinraal had been right it seemed. Once he had the strength to control such a weapon, he could at last kill on those he intended to kill. With a quick glance around him, Link located the remaining monsters, and unleashed the unkempt power of Din's Fire, instantly turning them into massive piles of smoldering ash. He sighed with relief when that business was said and done.

" _Link!"_ Zelda's worried voice said to him. _"Look to the sky!"_

He followed her order, and peered up at the sky all while countless Faronites tried to cut past his barrier, but could not. His heart dropped when he finally saw _it._ He had seen such a show of fire before, although unlike the goddesses, Ganondorf's spectral flame was of a deathly crimson color, with the hottest center of its core burning with a bright white, and the edges of horrid black. However, there was something even more sinister creating a tear in the heavens themselves.

The Void.

Its long grasping, wrenching, conniving tendrils began to shoot out in every direction, growing larger, and larger, until it began to net and mesh so tightly that it covered the morning sun completely, casting a ominous shadow upon the land and drove it into eternal twilight.

" _Master,"_ Fi said urgently. _"We must hurry. The Void will consume this world, and the next. But it will never stop there until everything is gone. We must hurry!"_

Suddenly, Ganondorf came plummeting down to the Castle in crimson fire, unfortunately right where Zelda had last been.

"I'm on my way Zelda!" he screamed out mentally and physically as he took aim with his Clawshot, and went soaring through the air as he was pulled along the chain.

" _Link! Hurry!"_ She sounded terrified, but alive. _"Link!"_


	44. Demise

**Author's Note:** Well, my friends, its finally here. They final battle. I don't want to spoil anything, but just know that there are two/three chapters left, one of which will be an epilogue to wrap up all the lose ends. Once those chapters hit, I will be dropping some knowledge bombs on my up coming projects, so keep and eye out for that!

Please enjoy, and let me know what you think!

 **-Written in Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter forty-four, Demise_

There he was… consumed by the crimson fire of his power, however it was Ganondorf alone. Link wondered where Demise was, but at that moment it did not matter. As he plummeted to the ground with the Master Sword clutched in one hand, and Din's Fire in the other, Link gave out in a fierce battle cry, until he impacted with the ground. The following release of energy was strong enough to shatter the pavement beneath his feet, and without a moment's hesitation he threw a wave of Din's Fire directly at his loathed nemesis, channeling every ounce of power he could spare into concentrating its strength. It sent the raven-haired monster careening to the edge of the courtyard, knocking down pillars as he went.

Zelda was there too, but by the haggard appearance, it had not been easy for her to ward of Ganondorf's accursed magic. She was safe, however, and that was all that mattered.

"Link," she rasped faintly as she stumbled. Link rushed to her side immediately, and activated Nayru's barrier around them.

"Are you alright!?" he asked urgently as he supported her weight.

"Yes," she replied. "But my energy… I need a moment to recover―"

"You!" Ganondorf screamed as he emerged from the rubble. In his hand there rested a broad sword of ebony stone, which was bathed in crimson energy, and often sputtered and sparked with molten wisps of flame. He remained relatively unchanged from the last time Link had seen him, as he wore the same simple black robes, and crooked, roguish smirk, but the key difference were his eyes. They were as every bit consumed by a dark red as Link's eyes were consumed by pure white.

"I must say, I'm impressed with your tenacity," Ganondorf continued. "Last we spoke you were broken and battered beyond repair, and yet here you stand, stronger than ever. Of course, I would argue that none of that came to you on its own. Were it not for your precious little Princess, and that accursed witch in the forest, you would be nothing more than a slab of meat to be consumed. And now _The_ Deity!? You have risen up in the world, my friend. First, I take away the Spirit of the Hero from you, and now you have hand delivered his superior to me? Come now, you honor me greatly with your presence, servant of the goddesses."

"I care little for your monologuing," Link sneered. "Where is your master?"

"Where indeed?" Ganondorf snickered. "Why don't you come and find him!?" With a swish of his sword, Ganondorf taunted the young hero, his vile smile twisting manically like a madman. Without a word, Link ripped his necklace over his head and handed it to Zelda, briefly explaining his reason before charging into the fight.

"Put this on. Use it to protect you until you have the strength to call upon your other powers."

"Wait, Link―"

It was too late for him to hear, for in the flash of an eye, Link sped forward, the Master Sword gripped in both of his hands. Ganondorf met Link half way, and their swords clashed midair, sending flashes of red and white shooting across the ground. This was the first instance since the Fierce Deity granted him his power that Link felt a significant force halt his own, but he did not allow it to be used as an advantage against him.

Their blades slid down to the hilt as they continued to strain against each other, and for a moment white eyes glared against red.

"This will all be over soon," Ganondorf said. "And then we can all be at peace with this curse." In that moment, it was as if words that came from Link's mouth were not of his own, but he could still feel his own emotion stirring within them. It was an odd sensation.

"You think Demise will let this end!? Do you think he can control the Void!? You have been deceived by my brother, Ganondorf. He will never rest until everything it destroyed, starting with you! Not even he will survive if the Void's power continues to grow!"

"Spare me the lecture, Fierce," Ganondorf barked as he pushed away, and unleashed a flurry of attacks that Link was hard pressed to block. "Do you think I will be so easily swayed by your honeyed words!?" Link decided to answer that question with an onslaught of his own attacks, being far to focused on their duel to even begin to comprehend what Ganondorf and the Fierce Deity were speaking of. As soon as his efforts were matched by his opponent, Link began to caution his attacks, and sought to conserve his energy.

He never thought Ganondorf would be so skilled with the blade, as he seemed to prefer magic more, but when he considered that Demise was no doubt feeding him with power, it was no surprise.

In a bold move, Ganondorf dashed across the graveled pavement in a blur of crimson magic, and swung at Link in a wide horizontal slash, which he backflipped over without a second thought. Something odd happened then; time seemed to slow, and he could feel the Triforce on his hand burn with power. It must have been some new ability granted to him by the mark, or by the spirit that dwelled within him. Either way, it did not matter, for the deceleration in time allowed him a chance to land upright, and flash forward to unleash a furious attack on Ganondorf's exposed side.

The Master Sword pinged against some sort of barrier just inches from Ganondorf's body, but with each successive attack, he could feel his blade dig just a little deeper. Unfortunately, however, he lingered far to long in this advance, as Ganondorf's left fist came flying back as if it were propelled by his powers, and struck Link so hard that Nayru's Love collapsed around his lifeforce, knocking the wind out of him, and sent him flying head over heel.

" _Link!"_ he heard Zelda scream, but by the time he realized it, he was falling well past the railing of the cliffside courtyard, as was plummeting to the ground with no way of landing on his feet. The impact hurt like hell, and he could feel his bones bend with stress, but nothing broke thanks to the Fierce Deity's protection. Bricks fell on his head, he noticed when he landed, and it was not until he managed to stand that he realized he had caved in the wall of a guard shack, and the ceiling had collapsed on him.

"Ugh, fuck" he groaned as he sat up dizzily. He shook his head in a weak attempt to focus his blurry vision, and once it had returned he realized he was surrounded by Hylian soldiers, who all had their sword and spears pointed at him instinctively, with the widest eyes he had ever seen.

"Hylia above," one gasped as they recognized him, despite his eyes. "He's alive…"

"Yeah," he moaned as he clutched at the Clawshot on his belt. "Good thing too." Without another word, he took aim, and fired his Clawshot before zipping back up the cliffside where Zelda was fending Ganondorf off yet again. Briefly, thanks to his inhuman hearing, he heard one of the ranking soldiers order for any available forces to make their way up to the courtyard to assist in the fight.

 _Fools,_ he cursed as he reached the railing of the courtyard and leapt over. _They're just going to get themselves killed._ However, there was no time to change anything, as Zelda was working terribly hard to fight Ganondorf off. She had been doing a spectacular job of it before, but now that her energy was so forcefully being depleted, her actions grew sluggish and exhausting.

 _Take energy from me,_ he ordered as he gathered his bearings and spirited forward. It was glad to find that Zelda made no argument against his command, as he instantly felt her begin to pull on his lifeforce for support. Every time she used a spell he could feel the weight of the spells cost press down on him, but between the mark of the Triforce, the Fierce Deity, and his own power, there was more than enough energy to supply her. To his surprise, after a particularly large drain of energy, he witnessed as Zelda call forth the power into her hands as she elegantly posed them in front of her, and unleashed an immense golden beam of raw power that all but shattered Ganondorf's own protective barrier, and threw him back onto the ground in a splay of black robes and hair.

Zelda faltered a little, but she managed to remain standing as she heaved in desperate breaths of air.

"Zelda," Link said as he prepared to continue the fight. "Are you alright?"

"I'm glad you let me borrow your necklace," she wheezed. "I don't think I would have survived without― you're bleeding!" She pointed to his abdomen, so in a brief glance, he looked down and found something quite disheartening. There was a large gaping hole which oozed horrid amounts blood. He looked back to Ganondorf who was still gathering his strength, with a recast barrier to protect him, and then felt the wound. There was something in there ―something metal, he realized― but he did not want to risk investigating it any further while Ganondorf still stood. He must have received it when he caved in that guard's shack.

"I don't feel it," he said as he stepped closer to Zelda to stand between her and their enemy. "I think it's the Fierce Deity protecting me…"

"Oh goddess, Link," she gasped behind him as if she were about to cry. "It goes all the way through! I can see it sticking out your back―"

"Enough of this," Ganondorf shouted as he arrogantly strode back to meet them. Link gave him not chance to continue as he rushed forward to begin hacking away at him again, but before he reached him a beam of crimson power struck him in the chest before Zelda even had enough time to protect him. Luckily, the beam did not kill him, but it certainly made it feel like his insides were going to burst through his chest. The moment he landed on his back, a golden barrier appeared around him, and Zelda rushed to help him. He could clearly see the warped metal shaft that had speared him clean through now, as landing on his back forced it out the other direction.

Now it was beginning to really hurt, but he knew he would make it with the Deity's help.

"You asked for my master did you not!?" Ganondorf jeered. "Well here he is!" Zelda rushed to stand, and fire upon him with her power, but it reflected off his barrier, and shot up into the sky. In Ganondorf's free hand he held a large crystal shard… one that Link had seen before. It was the same crystal he had used to house Demises' soul in. He bolted up in a desperate attempt to cut him down, but it was too late. Ganondorf drove the large crystal into his own chest, and reeled his head as dark power began to consume him. Fiery red trails of energy began to drive in and out of every inch of his skin, until at last he was wholly enveloped by a fire that blinded them, which eventually melded into a mixture of black and crimson flame. A malevolent laughter emanated from the fire… a laugh that made their hearts shudder with fear.

"Come then, brother," a new, deeper voice said. "Take your precious vessel. Let us end this once and for all." Link looked inward for an explanation from the spirit within him, but it seemed he would not part with such knowledge like he had with many other things.

"Demise," Link felt his lips utter, but not of their own volition, nor of his own voice. "Let go of this aimless pursuit. What happened all those years ago can never be changed. End this madness before the Void becomes unstoppable."

"You see, brother," Demise mocked, "That is exactly what I want. I want it to consume everything, myself included. I want all of this to end… All of it _needs_ to end. That is the only way there will ever be peace."

"Then there is nothing else that can be said," Fierce replied sadly through his chosen mouthpiece.

"Good, then let us take this where we have room to battle." The blinding fire soon gathered itself into a pillar of light, and arced across the sky like an arrow fired from a bow, until it eventually landed in the center of Hyrule Field with a rattling _boom._ The fire then spread wider, and wider… and even wider. Soon, it began to take shape as it climbed higher, but all anyone could do was watch in absolute horror. Link was unsure of what to even do. He and Zelda just stood there, and watched, but Link did take this chance to wrench free the large metal shaft that had run him through. With a quick yank, it slid through his midsection with a horrifying gush, crippling him a moment from them pain, which caught Zelda's attention.

"Link," she cried as she caught him. "What are you doing!"

"I'll be fine," he reassured her as he gathered his strength and stood, already feeling miraculously better. Although he did not look to check, he could feel the wound begin to close slightly, and cut off his blood loss. "It's healing," he said as he sucked in air.

"A little warning next time," she said worriedly. "You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Zelda," the Queens voice suddenly echoed across the courtyard as she rushed to meet them with a massive company of escorts trailing her. "What is happening?"

"Demise," Fierce answered through Link, which warranted gaping stares at him. Between the white eyes, and the new commanding voice, he was undeniably terrifying to witness. "He is assuming his strongest form. We three must stop him."

"We three?" the Queen asked airlessly as she watched the gathering mass in Hyrule Field completely horrorstruck.

"The Descendant of Hylia, the Chosen Hero, and I, the Spirit Champion of the goddesses." No one said a word, but their expression spoke for them. "But fear not, for They offer us aid. Look to the sky." Link, along with the others, peered up to the black sky. The Void was still there, casting its oppressive _nothingness_ upon the world, and was continuing to consume everything it could get its tendrils on, however something new began to develop directly above the Castle. Set against the black-as-night sky, a white swirling cloud appeared, and as it grew in size, three massive creatures emerged. It was Farosh, Naydra, and Dinraal, the Spirit Dragons. There was another shape that emerged, however, but it was infinitesimally smaller, and of a bright golden color. The three dragons spiraled around one another in a perfect display of grace and power, eventually splitting to encircle the rising form of Demise miles away, but the fourth, and smallest being dove straight for the castle. Link was the first to realize what it was, as his eyes alone were significantly enhanced by the Deity's power.

"What is that?" Zelda asked quietly, in awe.

"It's a Loftwing," Link gasped with an open smile. "A golden Loftwing!" This Loftwing was larger than any he had seen in Skyloft by at least several feet in wing and body span. Its beak was also not quite as wide, but it did retain the general shape of an average Loftwing. It continued to drive straight towards them, until at the last second it unfurled its wings, and caught wind as it safely landed in the courtyard, blowing dirt and gravel to the side. Everyone there stared in awe, although the soldiers that had accompanied the Queen were almost… fearful.

Link on the other hand found no issue with sheathing the Master Sword, and walking right up to the majestic beast, and stroked its neck. He was glad to find a saddle there too, which was of the finest quality of leather he had ever seen. Embroidered and carved into this leather were the symbols of the goddesses, and hanging just to the side of it was a saddle bag, which stored a strange object.

"There's no time, Princess," Link said as he gestured for her to join him. "We must help the dragons!" Without hesitation, Link leapt up into the saddle, which was luckily large enough to comfortably accommodate two, and held his down for hand for Zelda to take. With a stirring of her courage, Zelda approached the Loftwing reverently, then took Link's hand, and he pulled her up as if she weighed as much as a pebble.

"Please, Link," the Queen said as she suddenly rushed to their side, grasping at her daughter's hand. "Keep her safe."

"I will, your Grace. I swear it!" The Queen turned to Zelda then.

"And Zelda, remember your training. When the time comes, soothe your heart. Let the power come to you naturally. Remember what it means to love this land and its people. Remember what it means to be their guardian… their Grace."

"Yes, mother," Zelda said with a sad smile.

"We're all here to support you. Both of you. Now go!"

The Loftwing leapt into the air as if it knew exactly what Link wanted, and surged its massive wings in powerful strokes as they soared through the sky. Zelda fearfully yelped as they climbed, and wrapped her arms around his chest, just narrowly missing the large hole in his abdomen, which was not yet fully closed, but still very sensitive.

"Zelda," Link yelled back. "Check that saddle bag. There's something in there, I think." Without a word, Zelda began to unbuckle the bag ―all while always holding onto him with at least one arm― and pulled free a long golden bow.

"The Bow of Light!" she gaped. "It vanished shortly after the fall of Calamity Ganon! My father once used it."

"How is your aim?" Link asked as he glanced over his shoulder before returning his eyes to the being of his disdain.

"Acceptable, I suppose," she answered. "I never really had the chance to practice much."

"Acceptable will just have to do," Link replied as he pointed down to Demise, who at last had taken a solid form… His size was grotesque, and nearly every inch of his body was either covered in black scales, or flames orange and crimson hair. From his pig-like snout shot out two tusks of a brownish white, and above that sat two sets of massive red and yellow eyes. He had a tail too, which swept across the field below, killing any and all Faronites that had the misfortune of still being there, and his claws dug into the earth as he often transitioned between walking on two feet, or slinking down to all fours. As Link and Zelda came closer, the Spirit Dragons slowly circled in the sky above, their flames of respective colors spewing from their open maws as they roared. Soon, Demise offered his own roar as a challenge, and then began to move his forked tongue to speak.

"Behold my power," his voice boomed across the land so that every person could hear. "Come now, and cease your quarrelling, so that you may watch as I destroy the last hope of your survival." With a rumbling laughter, tens of thousands of trails of corruptive power were lifted from the Faronites hearts and were then absorbed into his core, thus ending the fighting below. Every soul kept within the Castle walls watched in captive horror as the beast of their damnation loomed above them.

Fathers clung to their wives and young, and soldiers hopelessly coward and shirked. Only the bravest among the Hylian Alliance remained standing to witness what was to come, knowing that there was nothing they could do but watch as their lives hung in the balance. Somehow, through some dark magic, every heart ―from the youngest child, the eldest Wiseman― knew that it was either victory or death. There was no running away, or finding refuge. Most took to despair, but there were among a select few held true to their faith and hope.

Those that held true offered their prayers to the goddesses… prayers that had been heard, and now waited to be answered.

"Do you have arrows?" Link asked as they circled Demise at a safe distance.

"It doesn't need arrows. I use my powers," she answered. A silence fell between them, and they both took shuddering breaths before the final plunge. Link had always known that once this moment had come, it could very well mean it would be their last chance to be with one another, but now that it was finally here, the realization it so much harder. That was when he let go of the silence clinging to his heart and turned his head back to look at Zelda.

"Zelda," he whispered.

"Yes?" she said with solemn and fearful eyes.

"I love you." The fear in her eyes melted away, and for just a brief second there was a soothing peace between them. Zelda leaned in, and kissed him, choosing to linger for as long as she could, which was not long.

"I love you too."

The golden Loftwing they rode teetered into a steep dive when Demise suddenly swung at them with a massive claw, just narrowly missing them. Zelda immediately went into action, and began to open fire relentlessly with her bow while Link focused on steering them away from danger. Her arrows streaked across the sky in perfectly straight trajectories, and to their encouragement, each one landed, causing Demise to twitch or shudder from pain. There were several close calls after that, but soon Farosh was the first dragon to join the fray and breathed holy green fire across his eyes.

Farosh, unfortunately, was far slower than their Loftwing, and considerably bigger, so just as she snaked away, Demise gripped onto the end of her tail, and began to pull her in as he dug his claws in. As Farosh cried for help, her sisters dove in after her, and set fire to Demises' arms and legs. His scales, however, seemed quite capable of withstanding their heat, and simply batted them away with a free hand as he greedily pulled Farosh in.

"I need to get closer," Link declared as he pulled the Master Sword from his scabbard.

"What do you plan on doing!?" Zelda yelled back as she continued to desperately fire her arrows which merely seemed to cause Demise pain.

"Are you comfortable with flying on your own?"

"What!?" she demanded. "Link you can jump from this height!"

"I have to," Link shot back as they banked left just above Demises' face, which was preparing to open its mouth to bit down on Faroshes' head. "Farosh will die if I don't! Hold onto the saddle!" Whether she approved or not, Link let go, and leaned over to his side as he released his grip of his legs, and began to free fall with his sword in hand. As he fell, he evened his body out so that he could control his descent, brought the Master Sword between both of his hands and aimed its tip for his target; Demises' bottom right eye.

For a few seconds he fell completely unaltered, until at last the blade of his sword made contact, and drove itself into his enemy's eye all the way down to the hilt, and continued to drag down past the softer flesh of his bottom eyelid, leaving a gaping gash in its wake.

Demise cried out in a deafening roar of anguish, and let go of Farosh to cup his bleeding eye, but Link continued to fall. Reacting on instinct, Link pulled his Clawshot out, and fired it right into Demises' midsection. Luckily, the claw grabbed on, allowing Link to use the velocity of his fall to swing between Demises' legs, and slingshot back up the other side, where his back was free and exposed.

As he reached the peak of his swing, Link disengaged the claw, and pulled the chain in, before he began to pick up speed again in a weightless fall, and once again pointed the Master Sword at a patch of exposed flesh. As he had done before, Link held on for dear life as his sword plunged into his skin, and effortlessly shredded through his opponent. The Master Sword's ethereal glow only seemed to increase as he dug in deeper.

However, as he neared the end of his attack, the ground came ever closer, so again, as he had done before, Link fired off his Clawshot, and slowed down his fall into a gentle swinging motion. This time, however, he was far to close to the ground, so despite his best efforts, as he evened out, he struck the peak of a grassy knoll and his Clawshot released, sending tumbling down the hillside.

Normally such an impact would have killed a normal Hylian, but luckily, he was far from 'normal.'

" _Link,"_ Zelda called to him mentally. _"Are you alright!?"_

 _I'm fine,_ he answered, groaning with pain as he stood. And then he looked up, only to find Demise locking three of his massive eyes on his location. _Although, I won't be for much longer._

" _I'm on my way, be ready!"_ Just as she spoke, one of her golden arrows flew above, and struck Demise directly in the eye, resulting in a large explosion of golden light, and he roared yet again.

"Yeah!" he cheered loudly. "Take that you bastard!"

" _On your right!"_ At her warning, Link looked right, and watched as Zelda came soaring in on the golden Loftwing with angelic grace, her hair wiping through the air as she glided just above the surface. Link held his hand out just in time to catch the under strap of the leather strap of the Loftwing, and was pulled back up into the sky as he clambered back into his seat. Zelda's free arm gripped tightly around his chest once he was upright, and she pressed her cheek against the back of his neck.

"Hylia above, don't scare me like that again!"

"But it worked," Link replied, feeling hopeful. "Let's continue blinding him, it seems to be helping our cause." Once he was situated in his seat a little better, Link scanned the area, finding that the dragons were a little more cautious in their attacks now, and when they did so, they did it in unison. While it seemed that their fire could do very little to harm Demises' tough scales, their fire worked wonders in temporarily blinding him, which was the only opening they needed.

"When they distract him, I'll fly in close enough for you to take out his eyes permanently, okay?"

"Okay," Zelda replied.

They waited for the next attack, although Zelda took it upon her self to pester Demise with as many arrows as he could. Unfortunately, however, Demise already seemed to catch wind of their plan, as he began to cover one or two eyes, or would occasionally drop down to all fours to bolt to one side or the other. Speed, not strength seemed to be his priority now. Her shots began to miss, and the dragons began to suffer terrible slashed across their bellies due to their slower pace.

"I have an idea," Zelda suddenly declared as she handed Link the Bow of Light.

"How do I use this?" Link asked. "I don't have arrows."

"Don't worry about that, I'll supply the arrows. Just take aim, and fire when I tell you to, okay?"

"Okay."

"Aim for the openings I create." With that said, Zelda closed her eyes and began to project her consciousness outwards until she homed in on her target. She remained silent, as if she were in a meditative state for quite a while, and Link had to react quickly to dodge a few of Demises' attack, but eventually a shimmer of gold light on the arm that covered Demises' eyes appeared, and Zelda told Link to shoot it. As he pulled the string back an arrow suddenly materialized already in the knocked position, and he let loose.

The arrow traveled for a second or two, until at last it met its mark.

Demises roared yet again in agony and his massive arm fell to his side as the muscles beneath were penetrated by burning power. With his eyes exposed, Link unleashed two more arrows in quick succession, both of which erupted directly in his pupils.

"Curse you sniveling mortals," Demises growled. "Do you think this will change anything. I can smell the fear on you―"

Quite without warning, Demise crouched, and leapt up into the sky with his front claws grasping to them, just narrowly striking the under belly of their Loftwing, and knocked them asunder. Both Link and Zelda were thrown from the saddle, and began to careen towards the ground. Link, having already experienced the sensation of falling managed to even out, but to his horror he watched as Zelda fell limply, clearly unconscious, but he was too far away to even try to reach her. He need a miracle to save her now, but just as he was about to despair, a blur of golden feathers dove past them, and unfurled its wings as it clutched the princess in it wounded, but functioning claws before drifting off safely.

Now that she was safe, Link began to reach for his paraglider, but could not find it. It must have been separated from him at some point, but he could not recall when exactly.

 _Plan B,_ he thought as he reached for the crystal of Farore's Wind.

It was tucked neatly in the pocket of his pants, but digging past his chainmail with gloved hands was no quick task, especially since he was falling. He panicked when he realized he might not be able to pull it free in time, as the ground came closer, and closer. It was a great misfortune too, for as soon as he managed to pull it from his pocket, the world went black.

Next thing he knew, his eyes shot open, and he was lying alone in Hyrule Field with excruciating pain over every inch of his body. Bones were broken, he was certain, but he could not determine the extent of his injuries as he barely had the mental capacity to form coherent thoughts. Adrenaline drove him to stand, despite the agonizing pain. The small crystal Farore's Wind was nowhere to be found, but he sighed with relief when he spotted the Master Sword lying dormant on the ground nearby.

If only he had time to teleport himself back to the Castle before he hit the ground… Goddesses above, it certainly would have hurt far less. However, he survived, no thanks to the Fierce Deity, so that was one thing to be grateful for. He assumed that since Zelda had no begun crying his name in his mind that she must have still been unconscious, so he steeled himself to prepare to distract Demise until she was strong enough to seal him away. The golden Loftwing circled safely above, and still in its clutches hung the Princess.

She was breathing, he could see with his enhanced vision. That was good. It's just, he felt so sluggish. So slow. He knew he should be more worried, but his head was spinning, and made it hard to think.

"Your vessel is weak, brother," Demise mocked. Link could see and hear his massive feet pound against the ground as he crept forward in a cat-like stalking. "You would have had more luck infecting the girl with your sanctimonious fantasies. She is stronger than she thinks. But why don't you come out and face me yourself?"

"Its funny," Fierce replied while Link coughed and wheezed to a stumbling walk as he scooped up the Master Sword. "I could ask you the same thing, brother. But you already know the answer to that, don't you? Despite our strengths, we cannot survive in this world without _them._ That is a lesson you should have learned long ago."

"Very well then," Demise answered as he dug his heels in to charge. "Let's finish this the old-fashioned way."

" _Link,"_ Fierce said urgently to him. _"Skyward Strike, NOW!"_

Link hefted the Master Sword above his head just barely with his own strength, and uttered the command to Fi. In that instance, a rush of energy flew through Link's muscles and lifeforce from four distinct sources. They were like strings of constant flowing power, and as he allowed his mind to wander to their ends, he found their sources to be the three Spirit Dragons, and the Deity.

The power he felt in that moment… it was immeasurable. It was as if the strength he had felt earlier that day when he cut the Hinox in half was a mere movement of his finger in comparison to the raw power that flowed through his veins. A fifth force came into play as well… the blessed mark on his hand radiated with golden light. The Master Sword's brilliance grew to a brightness that was almost blinding from his perspective, but to any outside observers he would have looked like nothing more than a giant orb of blue and white light.

When the lightning strike came, it rattled the earth around him in a mile-wide radius… it was time!

Demise was still charging him, but Link took aim, and in the mightiest swing he could muster, he unleashed the unbelievable amount of power stored within him, and sent a swirling mass of pure energy hurling towards his enemy. This energy tore apart a massive incision in the very earth itself as it barreled forward and met its target mid leap. Demise was thrown back by the impact of the erupting power, and landed just shy of a quarter mile away.

And yet, it still was not enough.

In his weakest moment, Demise was met was an influx of strength from a grasping tendril of the accursed Void above, and he rose from his landing zone, shaken, battered and frail, but still kicking.

"Now, its my turn," he said with a strained gasp before unhinging his jaw. Link fumbled to activate Nayru's Love as he witnessed crimson fire begin to seep out from the depths of the Evil's throat. The prevailing thought he had in that moment of panic was that it would simply not be enough, even with the help of the Dragons, and the mark, and the Fierce Deity.

He prayed to the goddesses above, if they still had the strength to help him, that he could survive the forthcoming attack.

Link fell to his knees, and gripped onto anything he could get a hold of as a wall of crimson fire blew past him, forcing him to slip and slide several feet back from the sheer force alone. The heat was unbearable too, but what was worse than that was the fact that he could feel his protective barrier _melting_ away as massive trails of fire licked and scorched every facet of the crystal-shaped shield around him.

"I can't hold it for much longer," he warned to the presences that intruded his mind.

" _You have to,"_ Fierce shot back as he pumped every ounce of his energy in to Link. _"Just keep holding!"_ Link gave it his best, but soon the ground below him grew hotter when the residual heat around him began to seep deep into the soil, and smoke started to sputter and form beneath, searing the skin on his knees and finger. He tried his best to maintain his focus, but as time went on all he could do was hold on for dear life, and scream through the excruciating pain.

If only he could find Farore's Wind… then he could teleport to safety.

And then salvation came to him at last in the form of an impenetrable golden barrier. It was like a vision of Hylia above as he watched a lone figure descended from the sky, basked in golden sunlight, her emerald eyes burning with such sharp determination and resoluteness that it could cut off the face of a mountain. However, there was an odd sense of peace in her bearings. Zelda did not seem angry, or upset, just… He found it hard to describe really, but if it were possible to display a sense of peace found through wisdom and knowledge, even in the harshest of times, he was certain that that was what it looked like.

It made sense, of course, seeing that her patron goddess was the goddess of wisdom.

"Demise," she called to him with a commanding, but calm voice. "Long have you sought the destruction of our people and this land, but you stand here as witness to the strength, courage, and wisdom of the goddesses, and those they chose to fight in their stead. This curse of reincarnation was of your design, and your design alone. And now, as it has been since the first day, I, the blood descendant of Hylia hear by banish you from this realm, in recompense for your crimes against this world, and all worlds."

"You are too late," Demise mocked as he brandished his large fangs, and sauntered forward with desperate and vile breaths. "Seal me away if you so desire, but your powers are useless against the Void. In time, everything will wither and be consumed. In damnation, we will all fall together."

"We will see about that," she replied rebelliously as she rose her right hand, and called forth one last spell. The Triforce grew in size on the back of her hand, and soon a ball of golden magic was conjured in front of her, which continually expanded outward, and grow brighter than even that of his Skyward Strike, until at last the edge of its circumference swallowed Demise whole. Although Link could no longer see the beast, he could hear its agonizing growls from within the orb of sealing power, until at last it collapsed in on itself, and vanished entirely, leaving nothing but upturned and scorched earth in its wake. He was honestly surprised by how quickly it all happened, but as soon as it did, he collapsed with relief on the ground ―which was finally cool enough to not burn him― and inhaled fresh, _free_ air.

They had done it! She had done it! His Zelda, his savior, Hyrule's savior!

However, this moment of victory was cut to a bitter end as he stared up into the sky, and found that as Demise had promised, there came no sign of the Void ending its pursuit to consume everything in its path. In fact, he could visibly see the borders of its corruption grasping for more, like a sentient being of avarice and gluttony. He forced himself to sit up, despite the pain that tormented his body and skin, and found that Zelda was desperately stumbling her way to him, barely having the strength to walk, much less call out his name.

He winced and moaned as he stood on his feet, and limped over to meet her. The sight of her so weak made his heart hurt, and the overshadowing sense of doom only shattered his spirit even more.

"Zelda," he cried out, and outstretched his arms to her. She nearly fell into him in a fit of bittersweet tears, but the moment she saw the burns on his hands her eyes were shot with worry.

"Link," she called back hoarsely, just barely managing to stand on her own after unleashing what he understood to be an equal ―if not more― amount of energy. How she was still standing was a complete mystery to him. Perhaps it was the goddesses that had helped her in the final moment? "Link, your hands― come here!"

"They'll heal with time," he said with a wince as she carefully examined the areas of skin that were burned through his gloves with knitted brows. He ignored that however, and wrapped his arms around her gently, his palms just barely healed enough to not be completely untouchable. "You did it, Zelda," he said calmingly, with an affectionate tone. "You did it. Goddess knows you save me just in time too."

"We did it, Link," she added as tears began to well in her eyes, and she buried her face into his chest. "I couldn't have done it without you… he would have been too strong if you hadn't weakened him before I came in. But… what do we do now?" Zelda gazed up to the Void above, and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I don't know… I thought maybe the goddesses would have done something by now… Are we too late?"

" _No,"_ Fierce answered suddenly. _"You are not to late… but I fear it is not the goddesses that can act. They are far to weak in this moment to reverse the damage that has been done, for it is the Void itself that has drained them of their true power."_

"What do we do!?" Zelda asked as she gripped tighter onto the folds of his armor.

" _There is nothing you can do, Descendant, but there is something I can do… but it requires the Chosen One's body… I cannot survive in this world without his vessel to sustain me."_ Link could hear the fluttering of a Loftwing nearby, and for a brief moment he glimpsed into the Deity's mind, and saw the plan that awaited him. His heart sank low in that second of understanding, but he acknowledged there was no other way.

"What must you do?" Zelda asked, but it was Link that was left to answer.

"Zelda," he said with a long and somber sigh. "Promise me something, will you?"

"Promise you what, Link!?" she asked frightfully, tightening her hold of him even more. It seemed that she already surmised where this was going.

"Promise me you'll learn to move on… Promise me you'll find happiness… That's all I've ever wanted for you… Happiness."

"No, Link, there has to be another way!" she avowed. "Just― let me think… I can think of something."

"Zelda," he said sadly as he pealed her arms away. "This isn't something that can be thought through. The answer is already right there." Despite her whimpered sniveling, and desperate searching for words, Link removed the Master Sword from his back, along with every other piece of valuable equipment on him, and laid it reverently on the ground at her feet. She tried to stop him, but between her trembling muscles, and being near sobs, there was little she could do.

"Link," she cried desperately.

"Zelda, please. Keep my necklace. It won't be of use to me anymore. Keep it― or give it to my cousin, either way. I just need it to be held by someone who knows its value to me. Everything else I own can go to my family."

" _There is little time,"_ Fierce stated, although he was not unkind in his tone.

"Link, please, I love you, I can't lose you again. We can find a way."

In one last desperate embrace, Link pressed his lips against hers, trying his best not to tell his tears mix with hers, then pulled away from her and ran to the golden Loftwing as it landed nearby before mounting it and took off in a rush of air.

 _Zelda,_ he said to her gently in his mind. _I will always love you. Forever._ It shattered the last pieces of his broken heart as he watched her grow smaller on the ground while he climbed higher. She just fell to her knees and wailed helplessly, too physically and mentally weak to do anything less ―she could not even summon the fortitude to bridge the mental connection between them. At last, since she could no longer see him, he succumbed to his own weeping, but still forced himself to steer as each sob racked his whole body with trembles.

He was glad to find that at least no judgment came from the Fierce Deity for his tears. In fact, all he could sense was pity within the ancient spirits mind.

"Its better this way," he told himself as he steeled his resolve, and tucked away his pain. Zelda would at last be free. It would take time for her heart to heal, but he knew that she was strong. She would learn to love another like she had loved him. He just prayed that guilt would never seek to corrupt her gentle soul. She deserved better than all of that pain and suffering.

There was no doubt in his mind that she would someday marry, and have children to a worthy man who could father them. A father that could help her lead their kingdom by her side, and support her in every way possible. Goddess forbid if he would ever do anything less than that, or Link would personally haunt him from the afterlife, and whip him into shape, no matter the cost.

Their people would have a King and Queen free of scandal and scorn. The Royal Guards would at last be free of his unwanted presence, and Hyrule would at last be safe from the Evil. Maybe even ―just maybe― some might remember him as a hero. Of course, he could never ask for nor take full credit for anything. Were it not for Zelda, the Fierce Deity, MiarindÍl, and the goddesses and their dragons, he never would have amounted to anything more than a worthless eunuch.

As the Fierce Deity put it, he was merely a vessel, but that was okay. Even if he was nothing more than the catalyst for something greater than he could ever be himself, he had at least done his job, even if it was riddled with failure.

As Link flew closer, and closer to the Void, all he could see in his peripheral was blackness, so he relished in his final few moments before the end; deciding that it was better to spend it not being selfish.

He thought back on his friends and family. He prayed for Aryll, that she would find peace in her life, and maybe even marry a man who would love her unconditionally despite her child being of illegitimate term. In the brief time he had know her, he had found a kindred soul in her. She was smart, kind, and undeniably optimistic. In a way, she reminded him of Jonathan.

Perhaps she would not have to look far to find a worthy man.

And speaking of Jonathan, he prayed that he and his family would never face another day of hardship, and that they could each find what they yearned for in life. He prayed for his uncle too, and begged that the silent pains he suffered through would not be suffered through alone anymore. He, like everyone of them, needed a healing of the soul. He prayed for the Queen, so that she in her advanced years she would be blessed with joy and peace, for she had been yet another source of unconditional kindness and understanding in his life.

He prayed for MiarindÍl and her people, that they might reforge the bonds of community that were broken so long ago. He prayed for all the kind friends and strangers he had met on the road, he prayed for the ones he watched perish by evil's hand, and then at last he prayed for his parents, hoping that he had at last made them proud.

"Honest, kindness, and courageousness," he echoed lightly as he could feel the gravity of the Void begin to pull him in, but a dreadfully disheartening thought passed his mind… He did not want to die. He wanted to live. He knew he should not have felt that way; it was an honor to die for the safety of one's home and people, and it was, but there was still an inkling of childish desire just to live _just a little longer…_

 _No,_ he had to be better than that. This was what a true hero would do. Perhaps he could never undo any of his past failures, but he could at least make up for them.

The moment Link broke past the cusp of the Void's center, he felt as if his body could float on his own, so he simply closed his eyes, and let himself drift upon the weightless currents of _nothingness_ as darkness surrounded him. It was in that silent moment of nothingness, that he could feel the last desperate fluttering flame of Zelda's presence vanish from his heart, leaving it cold and empty. He could not even hear what she so urgently tried to say to him.

" _Chosen One…"_ the Fierce Deity whispered to him. _"I'm sorry it must end this way."_

"I understand," Link replied somberly as a last few tears rolled down his cheeks. "… Will… will it hurt?"

" _I don't know,"_ the Deity admitted solemnly.

"Well… I suppose I am grateful that you came to keep me alive until now. It was an honor to be of use."

"It was an honor to serve at your side, Chosen One," the Deity replied as a white mist poured out from Link's chest, and vaguely took the form of a tall white-haired, white-eyed man. "May you find peace."

* * *

Zelda slumped over in the charred grass, helplessly weeping as she looked to the sky. Link had disappeared in the maw of the Void, and for a while, nothing happened. She tired one last time to summon the strength to speak to him, but could no longer see his lifeforce. She distinctly heard the sound of approaching horses, but she did not turn to face them… they meant nothing to her at that time. However, a sweet and calming voice spoke softly to her as arms closed around her.

"He has gone?" her mother asked, running her fingers along the scabbard of the Master Sword.

"He said it's the only way," Zelda sniveled. "It's the only way to close the Void… He won't survive."

"May he find peace," her mother said sadly as her own voice reached the edge of tears. The soldiers that had accompanied the Queen all dismounted their horses, and joined them as they peered up into the sky, genuine solemnness in their hearts as they watched the swirling clouds above.

 _He is going to sacrifice himself for us?_ they all thought similarly… _Even after what he did during the battle?_ _Perhaps we had all been wrong…_

 _BOOM!_

From the eye of the Void shot out an explosion of bright white fire that lit up the entire twilight sky, but as soon as it reached its peak, all of it was sucked back into the darkness, and immediately the grasping tendrils of the Void released its grip upon the world and imploded until at last it vanished completely, revealing the radiant afternoon sun.

The Hero was dead for certain, and the Princess… well, she had to be carried back to the castle as she wept the tears of a shattered heart and soul.


	45. The Aftermath

_Chapter forty-five, The Aftermath_

It was not until he felt the weight of his own body resting against something solid that Link opened his eyes and sat up. To be honest, he had not even thought of where, or what the afterlife looked like, but it was a little odd waking up to be surrounded by a lightly wooded area with white-stoned ruins peaking just over the leaves. Not that it was inherently unsettling, in fact it was quite tranquil and beautiful in a rustic, peaceful sort of way, but certainly not what he was expecting. Not to mention that he could clearly see the beautiful stars above, yet by some strange magic, it was bright out as if the sun was still warmly hanging in the sky.

 _Strange indeed._

He looked down to his armor, which was still a warped mess, but he no longer felt any wounds really causing him considerable pain, and the numerous holes and cuts in his flesh had closed up. All that was left was just a little stiffness in his muscles, and a creak in his joints.

Again, certainly not what he expected from the afterlife, but who was he to judge? At least the explosion that the Fierce Deity created had hurt hardly at all. It felt like nothing more than a wave of heat on his skin, and then he fell into a peaceful sleep, only to be awaken in a strange forest alone.

That was another thing he had yet to wrap his brain around… There were so many questions buzzing around his head, but there was no one to answer them yet.

It was a strange sensation, really ―being completely free of all other presences inside his mind― as if it was the first time he could think freely without worrying about what he projected through his subconscious. Then again… at the same time, it was a dreadfully sad thought. He had grown so accustom to Zelda reaching out to him, and embracing the small light inside his head with affectionate tenderness and love.

That was a sadness he did not want to think about at that moment, however, so he brushed the thought aside, until he felt that he was ready to mourn. Had he stopped to do just that, then he feared he would be there for hours… days even. Deciding that he might as well get a move on to where ever he was supposed to go, Link stood to his feet with a long sigh, and stretched.

"We wondered when you would awake," a crystal-clear voice said to him. Link snapped around, and his eyes were met with a ray of golden beauty that only his dear Princess could have ever matched. Farore, who's golden skin, and rich green eyes permeated with life and vigor, and beside her, her sisters Din and Nayru stood, equal in beauty, although their eyes burned with the colors of which they were known for, each bearing a distinct air about them.

They were youthful looking, Link noted, but that did not speak against the strength, wisdom, and courage that resided in their demeanors.

"Where are we?" Link asked sheepishly, for some reason doubting his previous assumptions as to where he exactly was.

"The Realm of Gateways," Din answered. "Although, I believe you called it the Phantom Realm."

"I think you will find this place to be very different from the last time you were here, Chosen One," Nayru added with a warm smile, gesturing to the tranquil scenery around them. "For the better, of course."

"I see…" Link trailed off. Now that he got a better look at it, some of the ruined towers and walls did seem familiar, although there was much more life around them, and the darkness that had consumed the land had gone.

"Come, Chosen One. Please walk with us. You have suffered from your battles. Allow us to at last grant you with peace and relief." Farore extended her hand in a pleasant gesture, which Link willingly followed. They all stood a head taller than Link, and instead of walking on their feet, they merely drifted upon the ground as their cloaks of golden starlight shimmered and danced around their bodies.

"May I ask you something?" Link asked after growing a little anxious in silence, as he walked in between them.

"Of course, Chosen One. What is it you wish to know?" Farore replied.

"I have many questions, actually, but… the Fierce Deity… he called Demise 'brother' on several occasions. What did he mean by that?"

"He meant exactly what he said, Chosen One," Nayru replied. "Demise, before he received that accursed name, was once a good and peaceable soul, dedicated to us alongside his brother, who he viewed as his beloved equal."

"Then what happened?" Link asked, aghast.

"Demise, despite his love for his older brother, had always prided himself on being the stronger of the two, and sought to spend his every waking moment dedicated to his training. You see, upon their day of creation, we bestowed upon them a decree… a challenge if you will, one to be selected to be our Chosen Champion, and the other to serve as our Chosen Messenger. Naturally, Demise strived to be granted the title of the former, but his pursuit of this goal changed him into something we never intended him to be." Nayru trailed off, and Din picked back up, as if they all shared one continuous stream thought.

"Fierce, being the one to air on the side of caution and wisdom, saw how Demises' lust for strength had slowly corrupted his heart, and so he confronted him… but we were too late. A sickness of the mind and heart had consumed his brother, and by the time he spoke against him, love turned to bitter hatred and jealousy. It ended in a battle that nearly took both of their lives."

"We were forced to exile Demise," Farore continued. "And for a thousand years he sulked and plotted beneath the surface of the earth we had created, until at last he emerged with an army at his command, and a will dominated by his egregious ambition for power. He raged war upon the earth, and so we tasked the Guardian of Hyrule, our youngest half-kin, to put an end to his rebellion… That was when she created the Hero…"

"The Champion of Hylia," Link aired with a tinge of awe.

"Yes," Farore reassured with a gentle smile. "He was truly a magnificent creation… marked with the traits of honesty, humility, kindness, wisdom, and most of all courageousness… a worthy recipient of his title."

"When the time came," Din started, "Hylia and her Hero opposed Demise, and fought him and his army of even grounds, until at a bitter end the Hero was struck down. Hylia used the remainder of her strength, and the power of the Triforce we placed under her care to seal Demise away before taking the shattered remains of the Hero's spirit and charged it with the task of choosing a worthy recipient of his courage and strength to combat the Evil's inevitable return. That was when she gave up her immortality and memories as the goddess, and reincarnated as a mortal woman."

"The first Descendant," Link nodded. "The first Zelda…"

"Yes, and your eldest ancestor, the first to inherit the Spirit of the Hero, stood by her side."

Link took a deep breath as he mulled over the mountain of information he had just been given. The revelation was enlightening to say the least, although he felt as if there was still so much more detail in that story that he wished to know. However, there were more important questions to ask, so he changed gears, and spoke.

"Is… is everything alright down there… back in Hyrule? We were successful, right?"

"Yes, Chosen One," Nayru replied. "We would not be standing here if you had not been. You have done truly remarkable things. Things that we are forever in your debt for. Had it not been for your actions, we would have never been freed from Ganondorf's curse, and existence as we created it would have passed into nothingness."

"And… Zelda… my Zelda. Is she alright?" For the first time, the three goddesses seemed slow to answer, but they did nonetheless.

"She mourns for you, Chosen One," Farore answered somberly. "Her heart aches with pain, but she will endure, just as she always has."

"I see," Link sighed as he dipped his head gloomily. "Is… is there anything you can do to bring her peace? I just… I want her to be happy. I need her to find peace."

"And she will find peace, and happiness," Din answered. "Rest easy knowing you sacrifices were worth it, Chosen One. You will be rewarded for what you have achieved."

"As long as she finds peace, that is enough of a reward for me," Link replied. For whatever reason, that statement seemed to amuse the goddesses, as they chuckled warmly.

"Your selflessness, and integrity are never in short supply, Chosen One," Nayru mused. "It is no surprise the Spirit of the Hero chose you on your birth day. You bear the true makings of a Hero through and through"

"Thank you," he stammered, unsure of how to accept such an eccentric compliment… Him, a true Hero? After having that name being forced upon him, and struggling to accept the responsibilities of such a title, perhaps the goddesses' ―the creators of all life― validation put the little voice of doubt in his heart to rest. The thought made accepting the compliment a little easier. "On the topic of the Spirit, where is he now?"

"He is free from Ganondorf's imprisonment," Din answered, "and enjoying the long period of peace until he is called to find another of your race, and once again walk the earth alongside the Descendant of his beloved creator. But that will not be for thousands, if not tens of thousands of years."

"So… it… he will be back?" Link asked worriedly.

"Such is the curse," Farore replied. "It is the curse of eternal reincarnation that has forced the remnants of Demises' hatred to haunt your people for eons. It is a curse so tightly wound and tied to the very nature and core of life, that even if we worked to undo it, it would merely bring about the end you fought so hard to prevent."

"Wait, so the Void…"

"The Void was the symptom of Ganondorf's work to break the curse that forced the hatred of Demise to reincarnate. He resorted to dark and powerful magic to tear apart the very fabric of reality, which in part disrupted the curse, resulting in the collapse of the nearest star. The release of such raw energy created a black hole with which there is no end… It was not the result he had intended to happen upon, but when he discovered that he could siphon and harness some of the power released by the Void as it grew larger, he found the solution to his problem in a much more sinister way."

"By breaking the curse of reincarnation," Din started, "he could bring the end of all life, including his own. Forever."

"But why?" Link asked perplexedly. "I thought he wanted to conquer and rule everything? That's what the legends and stories always said."

"For a time, that _was_ all he wanted, but after defeat, after defeat, for hundreds of thousands of years, the reincarnation of evil grew more tired and desired for it just to end… All of it… In that sense, it was the only way he could ever exact his revenge, and at last find peace."

"How did the Fierce Deity restore it then?" Link asked next, still desperately trying to piece everything together. "I merely glimpsed into what he needed to do, but not what he actually did do to destroy the Void."

"Two things he did," Farore said with a gesture. "First, since he had been freed of the necessity of surviving inside of vessel ―thanks to you willingly sacrificing yourself― and bringing him out of your world and into the maw of the Void, Fierce was free able unleash every ounce of his power to satisfy the consumption of energy created by the hole for a time, thus temporarily canceling its advance upon the world. And second, he replaced the curse that his brother had infected the very foundation of life with, therefore reversing what the Void had accomplished, and restored the world to the way it was before… alive, but forever haunted by a reincarnating evil."

"So the world will never be free of the Evil?"

"We are afraid so," Nayru answered.

"If I may ask, how was a reincarnation of Demises' hatred able to return so quickly anyways? It had barely been over forty years since the fall of Calamity Ganon, and yet a new reincarnation resurfaced so soon. How was that possible?"

"That is because he was not of your dimension," Farore answered. "You see, your reality is one of an infinite number of realities, all of which co-exist all at once. Ganondorf sacrificed his chance in another dimension to break into this one in hopes of catching the next world ―and by proxy, us― by surprise. That is why you were so urgently chosen as the next Hero while your predecessor still lived… That was something that had never been done before, but you proved you were more than capable of rising to the challenge."

Link tried to process, and make sense of what he had been told, but after mulling over it for a little while longer, he abandoned the thought all together, and pressed on to other his next question.

"Will it be possible for this to happen again?" he asked. "Where a reincarnation 'breaks into' a different _dimension?"_

"It could," Nayru answered.

"Oh…"

"But do not lose heart." Farore said. "This time we will take precautions against it, so that we may not be taken by surprise if it does happen. In addition to this, the legacy you will leave behind will ensure that Hyrule will continue to prosper and find the strength to grow and endure until the Spirit of the Hero is called back into action, and must once again serve and protect the Descendants."

"Legacy?" Link questioned with a confused expression.

"Yes Hero, a legacy of which the greater men and women of your people will forever strive to achieve." Link squinted his eyes critically. Last he checked, he had not exactly been some praised Hero to be revered and idolized back home. Sure, his standing with at least the civilians of Hyrule had certainly been improved ―with Zelda's help― and maybe after his death, some of those civilians would come to know better the things he and the Princess had fought through, and view him in a better light, but to leave behind a 'legacy' that his people would forever strive to achieve?

That sounded much more like his immediate predecessor, the late King of Hyrule.

Link nodded slowly in mild acquiescence, and surmised that he was simply reading into it too much. It was just an odd selection of words, he supposed, nothing to put much thought to. Glancing around, he enjoyed the environment around him once again, occasionally spotting a broken wall, or crumbling tower that evoked very faint memory. He wondered where they were going…

"You will know soon enough," Farores suddenly said, answering his wonder… So they could see his thoughts? What was the point of asking questions then, if they could just answer them directly?

 _Guess it doesn't really matter all that much,_ he thought with a shrug of the shoulders.

"In fact, we are here." The goddesses stopped in their tracks and gazed out onto a wide-open lake of shimmering water that reflected the starry sky above like a mirror. With a silent gesture, Link followed them onto the gravel beach through a white-stone archway and marveled at the simplistic beauty and tranquility the gentle waters provided. If he closed his eyes, he could almost feel the breeze on his skin, and the sweet smell in his nose, the taste of salt in his mouth, and the relaxing noise of waves of a surfing on sand.

Which was odd because one; he was not on an ocean beach, but a fresh-water lake, and two; he had never actually been on an ocean beach before. The closest he had ever been was first when the Leviathan swallowed him whole and dragged him into the sea ―which he was set on forgetting― and then when he briefly visited Hateno Village after freeing Nayru at the Spring of Wisdom, but even then, he only caught a glimpse of the ocean as he rode atop of Naydra during the battle for the village.

"Well, Chosen One," Farore said amusedly. "Go on. Step into the water. It will be good for your body and soul to find the relief it will bring you."

"But I have so many more questions."

"And we will have plenty of opportunities to answer them when the time comes," Nayru replied with a laugh. "But for now, just allow the water's warmth to seep into your bones."

It was certainly odd command, but the promise of relief was too tantalizing to resist, so he began to unbuckle the straps that held his armor together. It took a minute or two, but soon his battered and blood-stained armor lay dormant on the ground along with his boots, and he inched into the water, soon, quickly being washed with warm water that made him sigh with absolute bliss. It was cooler than a hot spring, but much warmer than any normal lake he had visited… the perfect temperature, if you asked him.

He continued to wade forward up to his waist, and then further until the water covered his shoulders. Goddess, it was perfect. It felt as if his bloody tunic and trousers had melted away, and all that he could feel was rejuvenating water washing away all the dirt and grime that had accumulated on his skin. More than that, however, was that he could feel the burdens and pain within his heart and mind begin to relinquish, and were lifted from him as warm cleansing water washed in and filled the gap they left.

If this was what the afterlife would feel like from there on out, then he was in for a real treat. He could learn to find inner peace there, despite his yearnings for home, and with time he would mourn and move on. He prayed again to the nearby goddesses, that Zelda could find her own healing waters like he had, and let the sorrows of her soul be washed away with nurturing tenderness.

Link closed his eyes again, and simply let the air in his lungs keep him afloat as the gentle currents of the water pushed him along like a mother rocking her child to sleep. _Sleep,_ he thought longingly… he could really use some sleep. Normally, falling asleep in the water would have been impossible, but the further he drifted out, the less he had to work to stay afloat. It was as if the water had come together just to cradle him, and allowed him to rest without a care in the world.

Which he did, as sleep happened upon him in a most natural and peaceful way. The last thing he remembered hearing before he passed into his well-deserved, _deep_ rest, was the goddesses bidding him a long and healthy rest, and a promise to speak in the future.

* * *

"Princess… Princess, dear, its time to get up." This had become a recurring ritual over the last two months. On most mornings Zelda did not want to get out of bed, and so Gretel was forced to practically order her around until she worked up the strength and courage to do so.

Some days it was not so bad, but others ―especially after a night full of sad dreams― were far from it.

Today was one of those days where she simply wanted to just lie there in the early morning sun in the quite to hide her tears. _Two months…_ and yet she still ached with pain. Not a physical pain, but a mental, psychological pain. She had been so sure that Link would be kept safe in their final battle, and he had been, but why did he have to sacrifice himself? Why!? Was there truly no other way? Or had he decided that his inadequacies in fatherhood would have been too painful to bear? Had he given up because of his preconceived notions of 'duty'?

Two months, and yet she still hurt. It felt like she had been robbed of the only future she desired. No, she _had_ been robbed of the only future she desired. And what had the goddesses said or done!? Nothing. Not even the Spirit Dragons could say. They vanished shortly after the clash between them and Demise, leaving her with no answers. She had no answers to questions that left holes in her heart, and haunted her every time she retreated to the recesses of her mind.

There was an upside to getting up in the morning at least. She found that once she threw herself into her work, her mind was distracted enough that she could make it through most of the day without shedding a tear. As of recently, her main focus was with forming diplomatic relations between their people and the Faronites, which was a huge undertaking to say the least. So many members of the Hylian Alliance were pitted with anger against the remaining tribesmen, as they had been the ones that cut down their kin, but no matter how much Zelda had explained that they had no control over their actions, the pain and anger between them was palpable.

It was a miracle that she and her mother had managed to get all of them back to Damel Forest without additional loss. There had been far too many close calls and open confrontations.

"Princess," Gretel said sternly, but in a kind way.

"I'm getting up," she sighed melancholily. "I will take breakfast in my room, please."

"I can't do that for you today, dear," Gretel replied as she helped her sit up. "Queen's orders. Your mother wishes for you to eat with her this morning, and I think it will be good for you, my lady. Ambassador Drod will be there too, to discuss how things are going. Besides, you need to get out more, dear."

Ambassador Drod, Zelda mused. That was what everyone called him because most people could not pronounce full name correctly. He had been a goddess send in regard to diplomatic relations between their peoples. MiarindÍl, in such a short amount of time, had taught him to speak almost fluent Hylian by using the mental bond she could create between people, which allowed him to grasp, learn, and fully understand their dialect in both the spoken and written forms.

"I'm tired of speaking," Zelda sighed. "I wish people would just get their heads on straight and accept the situation as is."

"Don't we all, dear," Gretel chuckled as she helped Zelda dress and prepare for breakfast. She hummed her lullaby, like she had done almost every morning since Demises' defeat, and gently brushed her hair. "Oh, a letter came in for you late last night, from sweet little Aryll. Would you like to read it?"

"Yes please," Zelda replied slowly, although she was a little worried about its contents stirring up strong enough emotions to unleash the floodgates. Aryll had been a source of strength and friendship for Zelda over the past two months, as she was working through grief of her own, albeit less agonizing, but Zelda was just glad to have someone of a normal sort to bear her soul to. Someone who understood pain and could truly empathize. She was a lot like Link, Zelda learned more readily as they communicated with one another, which was a prospect that often brought her both joy and sorrow.

"Here it is," Gretel said lightly as she handed over a small unopened letter addressed to her in a familiar handwriting. Zelda quickly worked open the seal, and began to pour over its contents as she read it aloud for Gretel to hear, as they had done before.

" _Dearest Zelda,_

" _I can never thank you enough for the wonderful gifts you have given us. Times in Hateno Village have been a little rough, I will admit, but your support has been the greatest blessing we could have ever asked for. Father still grumbles about 'living off of other people's stuff,' but you know how men can be… It's hard for them to ask for help when they need it. Truly, your kindness knows no bounds. I will make sure to double my efforts on the sweater I'm working on for you. Its not much, but just know that every strand of soft wool I knit in is done so with love. My father made sure that only the finest sheep were sheared just for you. It should keep you wonderfully warm once autumn comes, and remind you of how much of a blessing you are to us._

" _And for little Aden; well, where do I even start with the little tyke?_

" _His little button nose is as cute as ever, and his raven black hair is a soft and silky as the day he was born, although its gotten much longer. I've been locked in captive adoration watching how much he's grown in just a month and a half. Next thing you know he'll be walking and talking, I swear._

" _You should see his eyes… Bluer than the sky. They remind me of Link's._

" _He's a courageous little lad too. I have to keep an eye on him, otherwise he tries to grab my knitting needles off the side table to play with them, pointy end in, or desperately asks to get closer to the wild horses out back with outstretched hands and little hums and grunts. I'm sure he'll make a fierce adventurer, or a fiercer soldier._

" _Hopefully, he never will have to be a soldier, but if his stubbornness is something he will carry into adulthood, I'm not sure we can keep him held down in little ol' peaceful Hateno._

" _I hope that you are doing alright, and I wanted you to know that I pray for you every night before I go to sleep. If you ever need anything, and I mean anything, please don't ever hesitate to write to me, or come for an unexpected visit. Unexpected visits are always the best types of surprises!_

" _Love,_

" _Aryll and Rusl_

" _P.S. An officer from Kakariko came in the other week with Link's old horse, and a few of his belongings, on your orders… I thank you again for the thoughtfulness. We will safe guard them should you ever wish to see them."_

"There have been very few souls to walk this earth with such genuine kindness, my lady," Gretel hummed sweetly. "Such a sweet girl."

"I know," Zelda agreed with a sad smile as she fought off a tear. "I wish I could visit them… I could do with a small break from all the bustle of the Castle."

"Could you not step away for even a few days, my lady?" Gretel asked as she finished the last touches on Zelda's hair and motioned that she could stand.

"I can't. Mother needs all the help she can get. Besides, the festival is in a week. I need to be present to… to… I don't know."

"To help bring people strength," Gretel filled in. "You're our princess. People need to see you standing tall to give them hope. Now that the damages to Castle Town have been mostly taken care of, its time we all allow ourselves to commemorate those brave souls we've lost during the war, and then celebrate the victory they fought to obtain. This is a festival of healing, and optimism for the future, and you are the driving force in that outcome, being so closely tied to the Hero of the day."

"No pressure," Zelda quaked. Gretel meant for it to be uplifting, but Zelda found it to be quite the opposite.

"Why don't you invite Aryll and her family to come, my lady? I know how she helps put your heart at rest, and it would be nice to have such a kindred and gentle soul at your side. She, her son, and her father could all be your honored guests."

"That would be nice," Zelda said sadly, "but I already invited them… and well… they can't just pack up and leave their flock for a few days. Especially with how tough things are now having to rebuild their home." Gretel sighed at this revelation but spoke on it no more.

"Well, my lady, we're all done here. Would you like me to fetch you an escort?"

"No," Zelda replied a little faster than she should have, but already she could see Gretel's worried eyebrows knited together. "I'll be fine, thank you."

"Of course, my lady," she replied with a bow before excusing herself, leaving Zelda alone in her room once more. With a sad sigh she glanced at her nightstand, and upon it sat a slender vase with the Silent Princess Link had given to her for her birthday.

Whatever magic permeated in its petals had kept it alive and beautiful for all this time. It served as both a constant reminder of his death, but also as a token to fondly remember him by. She finally let go of the withheld emotions that swelled in her heart, and buried her eyes in her palms to weep. Even simple things like being asked if she wanted an escort made her think of Link, and glancing at objects like her Silent Princess, or his necklace that hung around her neck stirred up memories that should have been wonderful, but were turned bitter and depressing.

And thinking of Link for too long brought only one thing; pain and tears.

It just was not fair.

* * *

Link awoke with a mouthful of a mixture of salt water and sand, with a bright blissful yellow sun beating down on his bare skin. It felt like he had slept for a century, which by no means was a nod to his predecessor, who legitimately slept for a century, but after spitting out the sand from his mouth, he yawned one last time feeling energized, healthy, and strong.

Very strong, in fact.

It certainly was not on the level he felt when the Fierce Deity had aided him, but he was certain he was much stronger than he had ever been on his own. He assumed it was an inherit trait of the afterlife. Sitting up, Link looked down at his body and yelped, finding that the sensation of his clothes melting away earlier must have been real, as he had lost _all_ of his coverings, although… he had gained _somethings._

More accurately, he was retuned some ― _things―_ that were taken for him.

"Well I'll be damned," he laughed. In addition to that, all his scars were gone. Every single one of them. From the hundreds of bumps on his stomach and chest, to the whip marks on his back, and even the scars that marred his face… Everything was smooth, soft skin.

Still, apart from that, he still could not get over the things that resided down south.

Why he needed those now was a mystery to him, but he was not about to complain, although he figured he should probably move on from it, and find some clothes for if or when he ran into someone else.

That was another gift bestowed upon him by the goddesses, as just a few yards away there sat a small and simple wooden chest sunken into the sand. He opened it, and inside he found a tightly bundled tunic of a forest-green dye, pants, undershirt, boots, belt, and a long stocking cap of the same color as the tunic. It was an outfit that was strikingly similar to his ancestor's tunic, although once he put it on, he was certain no other set of clothes had ever fit him better. He did not even mind the silly little cap.

However, there was no weapon stored away, but it did not bother him. What danger would he be in now?

And so, with his new clothing donned, and his boots slung over his shoulder so that he could relish the feeling of sand between his toes, and a new urge for discovery, Link chose a direction at random, and set out with his best foot forward. The beach he found himself on was a stunning one ―at least from what he could tell, since he had never been on a beach before― which had fine white sand, and docile wildlife that seemed to be enjoying the sun as much as he was.

He was careful to mind the crabs, however, as they did have rather nasty looking pincers. A pinch on the toe certainly would have not been a good start to his journey.

To his left there was a great mountain range that had been carved by the ocean winds for ages, and to his right was the open sea, whose gentle waves shimmered in the sunlight, and welcoming blue colors were set on full array. There was a nice breeze flowing behind him too, as if it were pointing in the direction he was supposed to go, and offered him little gusts of wind that cooled him off.

There was only word he could use to describe the environment he found himself in; perfection.

Absolute perfection. The weather, the scenery, all of it was immaculate. There was only one thing in all of existence that could have made it any more perfect, but that 'thing' was still in a mortal realm, far from his loving grasp.

Maybe she would join him someday, and then they could be together forever.

However, that was a silly and selfish thought, Link told himself. She was supposed to fall in love with another man in her life time, and marry him instead. She just had to. He wanted her to find happiness where she was in the mortal realm. What right did he have to claim her in the afterlife, instead of her future husband?

The answer was he did not, as much as that made his heart break. However, he supposed that should not have come as a surprise. He had already received his reward for his service to the goddesses, it surely was no good to beg for anymore. Still, there was at least hope to see her once more, and he was willing to wait for as long as needed.

He was distracted from this thought when he saw something move in the distance on the shoreline. Upon closer examination, Link realized that it was in fact a man pulling in his small fishing raft, which was packed full of nets, fishing poles, and a couple of odd but large fish. The man spotted him too, and began to wave him over with a warm smile.

"Oi! Afternoon to ya!"

"Afternoon," Link replied as he picked up his pace to meet the fisherman.

"Might I ask ya for a little help?" the fisherman asked with a humble voice. "Bit of a sore back today!"

"Certainly," Link answered as he helped the fisherman pull his raft further up the shore. When their work was done, the man plopped down in the sand with a satisfied sigh, and slicked back his thin black hair.

"Thank ya for the help! What's your name, lad?" The fisherman's lips thinned into an interesting, but welcoming grin.

"The name is Link," he replied as he held out a hand to shake. The fisherman placed his dark-skinned hand in Link's, and gave it a firm and friendly shake. He had an iron grip, Link noticed. Clearly, he had been a hard laborer for all of his life, and had the calloused hands to prove it.

"Ah, now that's a familiar name," the fisherman replied. "Heard there's a many a folk with that name, many of which I hear are Heroes. But what do I know? I'm just a simple fisherman at heart. The name is Jed, by the way. It's a pleasure to meet ya, Mister Link."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Jed," Link replied with a kind smile.

"So what brings ya here? Just adventurin', or you come to trade?"

"Adventuring, I suppose," Link replied.

"Ah. That's a good thing to do, I think. Good for the ol' soul to get a little sand between ya toes ey? But I must insist ya take a look at my fine haul today! Got plenty of Mighty Porgies and Shellfish for sale, if you lookin' to buy!"

"Oh, thank you, but I unfortunately don't have any money to offer."

"No money ya say?" Jed smirked. "Well I tell ya what, you help me tow my boat back to town, and I'll reward ya with a little treat. My wife can cook up a mean Porgy Fry in no time, if ya interested."

"I would be glad to help," Link replied, rubbing his empty belly.

"Sounds great!" Jed beamed as he hoped to his feet. "It's not a long walk, but I would like to know more about you as we go along, if it pleases ya. It's not often we get many travelers around these parts… s'been a couple months ever since I head any news from up north, maybe you can help me out with that."

"I would be glad to tell you," Link replied as he hefted his end of the boat up. "Although, I'm afraid I don't know these parts at all. I'm new here."

"Not a problem," Jed laughed. "I always fancy hearin' about far off places. I'm bettin' you have a tale or two to tell."

"Yeah, I've got two or three," Link joked.

"Spoken like a true traveler, ey! Although, I must admit, you pack awful light for an adventurer."

"I didn't realize I would need to bring anything here," Link replied. "If I knew it would be like this here, I would have asked the goddesses for a bit more than these clothes." Jed shot Link the strangest of glances, and his eyes squinted in confusion. In turn, Link glanced back at him perplexedly.

"Where are ya from anyways, lad?" Jed asked critically.

"I'm from a place called Hyrule. I imagine its quite far from here."

"A place called Hyrule?" Jed laughed jovially. "Aren't we all from Hyrule, lad? Where ya from _specifically_?"

 _This is odd._ "Castle Town," Link replied. "Born, raised, and died not too far from it."

"Died there? Is that a strange figure of speech you city-dwellers use often?"

"What do you mean?" Link asked, helplessly confused.

"What do _you_ mean?" Jed shot back, equally confused.

And then it clicked.

"Jed… where are we exactly?"

"Eh, just off Clarnet Coast, west of Lurelin Village."

"Lurelin Village!?" Link shouted. "As in _the_ Lurelin Village south of Hateno Village!?"

"Well where else would it be?" Jed asked, half laughing, half frightened.

"Hylia alive!" Link beamed. " _I'm_ alive!?"

"You alright there, Mister Link!? What on earth do you mean!?"

Link went on a mad incomprehensible ramble about this and that as he practically dragged poor old Jed across the beach until they reached the outskirts of the fisherman's home town, all the while Jed just stammered in absolute dumbfounded confusion.

"I don't understand, eh, Mister Link? What's all this nonsense 'bout dying, and comin' back?"

"What's the fastest route to Hateno Village from here?" Link asked urgently as they set the boat down.

"Well, eh, just up that road north of town, and hang a right up to the Dunsel Plateau. From there it's a straight shot past Ebon Mountain, all the way to Hateno. But what's so important about Hateno Village?"

"My family lives there!" Link replied joyfully as he began to speed walk to the norther valley past, a hopelessly curious fisherman at his tail. As he bolted through Lurelin Village, the village folk turned and gawked at the fair-skinned Hylian with wide eyes, and puzzled expressions. "I'll visit them first since they're closer, and then!" Goddess, he was too excited to even finish what he was saying, and practically broke out into a full sprint.

"Oi, don't ya want any food? It's a half day's walk… Or a quarter day's run, seein' how you move!"

"I'll be fine Jed," Link laughed over his shoulder. "Thank you so much! Maybe we'll run into one another someday, and I can explain my story."

"Oh, well, good luck then, eh Mister Link!"

Link barely heard Jed's stammering goodbye as he raced up the gravel trail north. He must have looked like an absolute madman sprinting as fast as his legs and arms could pump, but he could care less what he looked like. Nothing would stop him now! All that ran through his mind, and made his heart beat like a drummer in a marching band was the same purveying, positively unabashed, triumphant, and jubilant joy! He was alive!

He was alive, and Zelda was just within his grasp! He laughed and prayed to the goddesses with incessant praises and thanks with outstretched arms as he barreled down the beaten path.

He considered sprinting straight to Hyrule Castle, but even he had to admit that that was a rather illogical step. For starters, it was at least a day's ride on horseback, and that was with galloping at full speed, so his first step was to reach Hateno, where he could hopefully find Aryll and Rusl, and then buy, borrow, or even steal a horse ―whatever it took― just to reach home quicker!

He laughed when he realized he had not even put on his boots yet, so while hopping on one foot, he haphazardly pulled one foot in, and then switched to the other before striking back into his heroic run.

As Jed had suggested, Link hung right as the trail he followed split west towards the Faron region, and clambered up the steep hillside. It barely slowed his pace, but it certainly made his lungs burn, and sweat poured down his face. However, nothing would stop him, _nothing!_

 _Nothing!_ he laughed.

The first recognizable landmark Link spotted was the flat-topped Ebon Mountain, which gave him a perfect sense of direction at that point, so he adjusted his course a little, and cut his way through Kaya Pond, ignoring the water that soaked his boots and pants up to the knee. He ran, and ran until it felt as if his lungs were going to explode, and finally took his first break when he spotted the outskirts of Hateno Village blissfully stagnant under the setting yellow sunlight. He rubbed his forehead and face down the length of both sleeves, drenching them in sweat, and took great heaving breaths.

" _Just a two-minute break,"_ he finally conceded to himself in a long gasp for air. _"No more!"_

"Don't hurt yourself getting there," a deep but familiar voice laughed behind him. Link spun around on his heel, and was graced to find a figure of golden light standing before him. Now that Link had seen his face for the first time, he felt that there was no better complexion to match the voice he had heard inside his head for so many years, although, he had not expected the Spirit of the Hero to stand nearly a foot taller than he was.

He looked a lot like Fierce, Link reflected, although the Spirit seemed so much more approachable and welcoming.

"I thought you were resting until the next Hero is needed?" Link asked in between pants.

"Oh, I am," the Spirit answered with a chuckle. "But I wanted to speak with you one last time before my long slumber."

"I'm listening," Link said kindly.

"You have done remarkably well, as I'm sure the goddesses have told you. What you did was nothing short of spectacular, although, do don't let that stroke your ego too much," he joked.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Link replied in good humor.

"I also wanted to apologize that I could not help you in your trials after your escape from Ganondorf's hands. It is truly a rare occurrence for a Chosen Hero to find himself in need to wield the Master Sword without the strength I give him, but you performed admirably, and proved your worth to the Sword of Evil's Bane without my help. All of creation will sing of your praises, and you will held as an example of courage and honor for generations to come."

"I don't know about that," Link replied, feeling a little overwhelmed with such a bold statement. "But I thank you for sacrificing your safety to help me escape. If it weren't for you, then I would have never stood a chance, and I'm sorry I failed to be of more use early on."

"You far from failed, young one," the Spirit chuckled. "You have to understand that you were never intended to be given this great burden, but you answered the call regardless, and you grew to reach greater strengths than any before you. Let not your self-doubt get the better of you."

"Thank you… truly."

"Of course," the Spirit smiled. "Now I believe you were on an important quest. I will withhold you no longer. Go now, meet with your family, and then off to Hyrule Castle with you. You shouldn't keep Her Grace waiting, now should you?"

"I would never," Link grinned.

"Oh, but before I go, I have few messages to give you. The first being from your parents."

"My parents!?" Link practically shouted.

"Yes, I have spoken with them. They merely wished to express their unending love and pride for you, and want you to know that they patiently await a day that they can hold you in their arms once more."

"I…" he was almost instantly moved to tears, but he held them off well enough. "Tell them that I can't wait to see them, and that I love them dearly. I promise to treasure everything they have ever given to me."

"I certainly will," the Spirit replied. "And then my last message comes from the late King of Hyrule, your predecessor. He tells you that he is proud of your accomplishments as well, and wishes you to know that you will have to request for his permission before you ask for his daughter's hand." An impish smirk stretched across the Spirits ethereal lips, as if he were trying his best to withhold his laughter.

"I ah'what!?"

"I'll key you in on an important detail," the Spirit said as he leaned in to whisper. "He's already given his blessing. It just seems he is quite fond of toying with you."

"I… duly noted."

"And also," he continued. "He wishes that you tell his wife that he cannot contain his excitement for the day when they can once again be together, and that his heart swells with pride and affection to his daughter."

"I will gladly tell them that," Link answered with a beaming smile.

"Good. Then I wish you a long and happy life, Chosen One. May the stars guide and watch over you until the day that you return to us in the Sacred Realm."

"Thank you, Spirit… for everything."

"No, _thank you."_

In a flash of light, the Spirit of the Hero vanished just as soon as he came, and Link was once again left alone in the peaceful evening atmosphere. He took one last deep breath, letting the sensation of freedom and peace seep into his flesh, and continued on his way with an extra pip in his step. He was quite certain that he had never been happier and content with where he was in his entire life than he was right then.

Although, rest assured he would burst at the seams when he at last could hold his beloved Princess in his arms once more. Had he not been sprinting down the mountainside, he was certain he would be fidgeting and squirming with excitement.

* * *

Link had made his way through the center of Hateno Village unhindered, although he was a little saddened to find so many homes had been cleared out or being rebuilt from the ground up. That being said, however, he could gather the sense of optimism among its people, so he did not dwell on the negative for too long.

No one had yet to recognize him yet, as the last time he had been there, his face was covered by a cowl for the majority of his visit, but that was just fine by him. All he really cared about was finding his cousin and uncle, and then further down the road his trip back to Hyrule Castle. By that point in his journey, his tunic was soaked in sweat, and his tongue felt parched and dry from all the panting, but he at last reached his destination to find a small makeshift hut standing next to the framework of a cottage still under construction.

The huts inhabitants had clearly retired for the day, as the sun had already set by then, and under the crack of the front door he could see warm yellow light spilling out onto the yard before it. He had been fortunate enough to speak with one of the benevolent townsfolk that knew of Aryll and her father, and gladly pointed him in the right direction, but had not put the slight rise of anxiety in his gut to rest.

Link did not know exactly why he was nervous, but after a brief pause, he reached out, and knocked on the front door.

"Just a minute," a gruffy voice called out before he heard someone shuffling to the door. Link swallowed the lump in his throat with nervous excitement, and greeted the man who swung the door open.

"Hylia alive!" Rusl cried as he nearly fell over backwards. "You… You're alive!?"

"In the flesh," Link replied with an open-mouthed smile as he stepped into the hut.

"Link!?" Aryll screeched as she leapt up to her feet. Link was surprised to find that her belly was now flat… and that meant only one thing! He was just about to inquire into it, when Aryll suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, nearly tackling him to the ground laughing.

"How are you here!? Everyone saw you vanish into that horrid darkness and… and then that explosion!"

"It seems the goddesses thought that I should be brought back," Link replied as he squeezed Aryll tightly. "I woke up washed ashore not far from Lurelin Village. At first I thought I had died and awoke in the afterlife, but when I met a local fisherman, and he started talking about his home town I realized my mistake!"

"Oh goddess, Link! And look at your face! Your scars are gone!"

"They healed everything, Aryll," Link laughed joyfully.

"Everything!?" she asked with a knowing and excited glance.

"Yes, everything!"

"Well, then," Rusl hooted as he hugged Link, "Seems Hyrule Castle is going to have a big surprise heading its way!"

"Yes, I was going to head there as soon as I could after finding you both here."

"You're in luck then," Aryll beamed. "Or I suppose since the goddesses are involved it is not a coincidence, but anyways, we were going to pay a surprise visit to Hyrule Castle! There is to be a memorial that will commemorate the brave souls we lost during the war, and then a festival there after to celebrate the years of peace to come! The Princess invited us to be her guests personally, but we ―or I guess I― made her think that we had to decline because of the work we had to do here in Hateno. It was going to be a surprise, although I think you're return is going to blow that one out of the water!"

"How long have I been gone?"

"Two months," Rusl answered. Link glanced over to Aryll, and smiled brightly as he gestured to her belly.

"And the baby?"

"Would you like to see him?" Aryll squeaked.

"I would love to!" he replied wistfully. Aryll giggle as she hopped over to the corner of the room, where there was a simple yet sturdy little cradle, and gently lifted a small bundle of blankets up out of it, eliciting a few little yawns and coos from the child that rested within.

"His name is Aden," she whispered affectionately as she handed him over into Link's arms. The moment he saw the child's little eyes peak open, he felt his heart melting away. "He's a feisty little guy, but ever so sweet."

"Hello Aden," Link whispered as he softly caressed the soft black hair that sprouted out from the child's head. "Goodness, you have such a lovely set of eyes don't you, little lamb?" Aden opened his mouth in a wide yawn, and nudged his small hands closer in around himself, a small but noticeable smile showing off his toothless gums. "Aw, yes you do, and such a good little smile too," Link coddled him.

"He likes you," Aryll chortled before kissing the skin on her child's forehead, which was several shades darker than her own. "Isn't that right sweetie?"

"He's perfect, Aryll," Link whispered, as he nuzzled Aden closer, and eventually soothed him back to sleep.

"You're going to be a real natural at this, I think," Aryll teased. "Although, just wait until your future children decide they're hungry at two in the morning."

"Is that your one and only complaint?" Link shot back with a smirk.

"Just about," Aryll laughed before gently gesturing for Link to let Aden lay back down to rest in his cradle. "Why don't you go get cleaned up, and we'll get you some food. Its too late to get back out onto the road tonight, so you will just have to hold your horses until the morning, and then we can all set out together!"

"Yes ma'am," Link chimed, feeling quite incapable of wiping away the ear-to-ear smile on his face.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Did you really think I was going to kill Link off!? (Yes? No? Did I fool you at all?) I could never do that, my friends! I may love angsty rough stories, but that is the exact same reason that good endings mean anything. The harder the times, the greater the rewards. Get ready for the ultra fluff next chapter.

Also, to the guest (Sleepy) that left a wonderful review on last chapter, offering both gracious praises and fair criticism, I would like to say that his death was very intentionally paced how it was, because I wanted to give that sense of "please I just wanted more time." I hope this chapter alleviates the problems you had with the last chapter.

 **-Written In Bold**


	46. A Surprise Visit

**Author's Note:** Can you believe its finally here!? Goodness, I've been brewing up this one in my mind for the past week. I can't wait for you lovely people to read!

Now, unless something changes (which may or may not happen) I believe there will be one more chapter, and then an epilogue following that. Now I may get ambitious, and fill out a little more, but lets be honest, we all know whats going to happen. Courting-Marriage-theSpicyBoomBoom-Baby-Maximum Feels.

Btw, the next chapter and epilogue will not only focus on Link and Zelda, but also some of the other characters as well (Aryll, Rusl, Miarindil/Faronties, Jonathan, etc.) and I will also likely announce my next project, if I get it fleshed out a little more. Either way, just know I will be writing more, so if you enjoyed this, check yo'self before you wreck yo'self.

Enjoy,

 **-Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter forty-six, A Surprise Visit_

Despite only getting a few hours of sleep, Link was the first one up inside his family's small temporary hut. He found that he was simply to excited to sleep properly, and ended up turning in his bedroll all night, so he decided that he might as well get up and begin preparations for their trip. He was careful not to wake little Aden in his crib, as he had a rather rough night himself, often waking up to cry for a few minutes, then would wistfully fall back to sleep.

Aryll let Link hold him once or twice during the night too, since he offered to whenever her child finished eating, and started to fuss. Link did not mind one bit really, because not only did he find that he was falling into a steadfast adoration for the endearing little boy, but also that he wanted his cousin to get as much rest as possible before their long adventure. That brought the topic of transportation into his mind.

Traveling on horseback would have been perfectly fine for Rusl and himself, but with Aryll and the baby, it simply would not do, so he discreetly snuck out the front door, and searched around for a solution. That said solution ended up being a horse drawn wagon out back, and the fine steed to accomplish the task was none other than his own horse, Epona. According to Aryll, a Hylian officer from Kakariko had brought it too them, saying that he was on orders from the Princess to return any remaining property of the 'late Hero' to his only surviving family, per his will. Of course, now that he was not dead, the horse belonged to him… at least until he would someday return it to the Gerudo Trader that loaned it to him as payment for helping her to safety.

Sarafiki was her name, Link remembered fondly. How odd it was to think back on those times, and how impossibly far away they seemed.

Then again, his situation during those trying times were certainly not pleasant, so there were no complaints from him for his change of scenario. He decided that whenever he had the time, he would return to Gerudo Desert, and offer to pay in full to keep Epona, as well as taking the opportunity to thank her for her tremendous generosity, now that he had the voice to do so.

However, that was for another time, he had a more important goal in mind; reaching Zelda.

He could almost taste the sweetness of her lips on his already, and the softness of her hair brushing again his cheek. It was simply too much excitement to hold in, so he expressed it in the only way he could; physical labor. Allowing Epona to rest in her stall for as long as he could, Link pulled the hay wagon out front effortlessly ―noting how his new-found strength exceeded his previous observations― and let it wait until it was time to leave. There was a slight crack in one of the wooden spokes, which showed signs of possible failure down the road, so he set himself on repairing it.

Taking a spare wooden splint from the nearby lumber pile, and used a run of metal wire to bind the two together, thus strengthening it.

Link found that after that, there was little he could do except to harness Epona up, so he strode into town with a small amount of money he borrowed from Rusl, and bought all the supplies they needed, as well as a simple hooded cloak and a change of tunic in the small chance that it would rain. Looking up to the sky, there were gathering storm clouds near the sea, but as the morning went on they seemed quite happy with staying where they were, thus leaving the mainland sunny, warm, and beautiful!

Still, Link was sure to account for any possible mishaps.

By the time he returned, Aryll was already up, and tending to the baby as he set into his usual routine of whining, then crying, then eventual peace once he had eaten and changed.

"Good morning," Aryll hummed as she blinked away the grogginess in her eyes.

"Morning," Link replied energetically as he began starting up a fire for their iron skillet, a half-dozen eggs set aside and ready for cooking.

"Well someone is happy today," she giggled as she rocked Aden gently.

"Can you blame me?" he fired back in good humor.

"No one could ever blame you," she laughed.

"Where's your father?"

"Out back packing a few things," she answered. "But it looks like you've done most of the work, Mister Eager. You ready to get back?"

"Of course," he replied after striking a roaring flame on the fire.

"I honestly just can't wait to see the look on Zelda's face when she sees you. I hated leaving her all those weeks ago… Poor thing looked like she was going to burst into tears every second of the day, not to mention her letters."

"Her letters?" Link asked.

"Yes, we've been writing to one another often to share in our suffering," Aryll said seriously. "She pours out her heart in every page. It's been a hard two months for her and her mother. A kingdom recovering from war does not exactly warrant the time to truly rest and mourn, and relations with the Faronites has not exactly helped that situation."

"What's gone wrong?" Link asked as he began to crack a few eggs into the hot frying pan.

"It seems that many powerful members of the Hylian Alliance are weary of the Faronites, despite the fact that they have been released from Ganondorf's control. They're scared that they will turn on them again. Some have even gone as far as suggesting punishment, but of course that has stoutly been stamped out as an option. Still, there's a lot of name calling and ruffling of feathers going on in Hyrule Castle."

"I see," Link sighed. "I'm no stranger to how nasty people act over there."

"Well considering you were imprisoned and beaten for two days after saving the Princess, I'd say you more than 'no stranger.' Not to mention how you were treated by the guards thereafter, all the rumors and insults… I don't know how you kept your cool."

"Well, I certainly did not keep my cool," Link lamented. "Although, I learned just to ignore it after a while… I'm a little worried about how I will be received when I return."

"Really!?" she gaped. "After what you did? You're worried you won't be received well!? I've already heard no less than three songs commemorating your heroic sacrifice and tales of adventure from that old Rito Bard in town, and countless first-hand stories from any soldiers who witnessed it."

"There are songs about me?" Link huffed disbelievingly.

"There are!" Aryll insisted. "People have nicknamed you the Fallen Demi-god, or something ridiculously dramatic like that. I heard you even cut a Hinox clean into two halves in one swing."

"Oh… well that… I actually did do that I guess."

"My point exactly. Trust me, people are going to go crazy when you show up, especially because everyone thinks you're dead! And now with all your scars healed… Goodness, I think they're going to fear you as much as they respect you. Everyone will be lining up to meet you!"

"Everyone?" he asked timidly, feeling rather overwhelmed by just the mere mention of it.

"Well, everyone that will be able to recognize you on the spot. Is that a problem?" she asked perplexedly.

"Its just… I don't know," he stammered. "I've spent most of my life training to blend in, and be unseen… unobtrusive... told to keep my mouth shut. Being in the spotlight isn't exactly my forte. I'd prefer to keep this all under wraps."

"Really?" Aryll laughed endearingly. "You, the Hero of Hyrule, savior of the goddesses, courage personified, afraid of a crowd!?" Link felt his ears burning red already. "My dear cousin, I'm afraid you're going to just have to get used to it if you're ever going to marry the Princess."

Of course, she had to say that right as he took a drink from his waterskin, and made him coughed and hack, sending it down the wrong tube.

"Oh come now, Link, do you think I couldn't see it the first time we met? The way you looked at her… the way you talked about her… you were― _are_ madly in love with her, and she's obviously head over heels for you, everyone knows that. You were not nearly as secretive as you think you were."

"It was different back then," Link insisted after recovering. "I couldn't very well declare it aloud! Me; the Knight of Scorn, the Eunuch… I probably would have been mobbed. I'm sure I'll still be mobbed by a horde of angry suitors."

"Yes, but you're not those things anymore, and I think you can manage to fight off a few scrawny noblemen easily enough," Aryll said with amusement. "So…?"

"It will probably be awhile, I'll admit," Link said with a grin. "But in time, I hope. Lets just focus on reaching Hyrule Castle first before you start rushing on about all that."

"Try telling her not to rush it," Aryll laughed. "Make sure you clean your face before we get there, because I don't think her lips will leave it. Also, I suggest we smuggle you past the crowds, to avoid anyone recognizing you. I would hate for them to ruin the surprise."

"Well I did buy these," Link said as he held up his long-hooded cloak and tunic. "And I think with that, it should be pretty easy to slip by until I find a good time."

"That should work wonderfully!" Aryll hummed. "I can just see it now; you dramatically unveiling yourself to her for everyone to 'ooh' and 'ah.'" She began to giggle like a child when Link shot her a deadpanned expression. "Oh admit it, it would be dreadfully romantic." Link just rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Well, eggs are done," he said as he pulled the skillet from the fire and added some spices. "Sooner we eat, sooner we can leave."

"Sounds good. Father's hired hand should be here soon to take over the flock. I'm sure he'll come around to eat shortly."

* * *

They reached Castle Town by nightfall, as pulling a large wagon slowed their process considerably, and having a baby on board certainly did not speed things up. However, between Link and Rusl, there was plenty of opportunity to drive while the other rested in shifts, and Aryll was content with just cradling her baby as she leaned against the bales of hay. Before they left, Link had changed into his second tunic, which was of a much more muted maroon color, and pulled his hood over his head when the reached a crowded area just outside the Castle Town wall near the Sacred Grounds so that no one would accidentally recognize him.

There were a slew of party planners, organizers, and workers just calling it a night for the joint memorial and festival in the morning, so luckily, they paid them little attention as they sauntered off back home with tired eyes and great large yawns.

"You going to be able to hold on until tomorrow?" Aryll asked with an impish grin.

"You're the one that insisted on being dramatic," he shot back. "Besides, I'm sure she's exhausted from all the activity going on, and also I'm not the only one that is going to surprise the Princess with a visit. I would hate to ruin _your_ surprise."

"Right, right," she conceded with a chuckle. "And I'll make sure _our_ surprise doesn't rain on your parade. But I'm curious to see whose surprise will take first prize!"

"I guess we'll find out," he replied as he noticed the strangely abundant amount of foot traffic.

"It's a good thing we have a place to stay," Rusl jumped in on the conversation as he led his horse past the gate into a busy street. "By the looks of it, every inn will be packed full of travelers coming for the festival."

"I'm honestly surprised my house stayed standing during the battle," Link said.

"We were lucky in that regard," Rusl replied. "I hear the builders worked day and night to repair all the damages. Seems like everything turned out alright, at least."

Later that night they retired in Link's home, and shared a simple but jovial meal together before turning in, and blissfully drifting off to sleep, of course except for the occasional upset from Aden, but with the long day of travel they had, everyone found it easy to fall back into a deep sleep until the warm morning sun awoke them.

Link leapt out of bed and set about cleaning himself up, including shaving the bit of stubbly facial hair that had grown over the last two days. According to Aryll, the memorial was to start around ten in the morning, where they would unveil a monument to honor those who died during the war, and following that, at noon there would be a time to celebrate that peace had returned, where various sports, dances, and activities would be held.

Link decided that revealing himself before the memorial was a poor idea, as he did not want to bud in and overshadow the tremendous sacrifices of the soldiers and civilians of Hyrule. That would be a time of respect and mourning for the fallen sons and daughters of their kingdom, and he had no intentions of intruding on the time to honor them. However, that left him with the glaring chance that he would be recognized sooner than later, so he would have to make sure to be careful. Hopefully, he could find a way to reach Zelda without causing a scene once the festivities began.

That was the hope at least, but hearing the way Aryll fantasized and plotted about how it would all go down, he was worried his that his plan for discretion would be done away with, and that she would somehow make a big scene of it all.

"I think we should split up once we get there," she said to him as they walked out the front door inconspicuously.

"Why's that?"

"Well, in the off chance that the Princess spots us ―and by proxy, you, in the crowd― then your little surprise will be ruined before its sprung. However, since you're going to be going incognito, it would be better if you separate from us, then there is much less of a chance that you will be found out once we are. Make sense?"

"I suppose," Link murmured, feeling impatient with this whole 'surprise' business. He just wanted to see Zelda. No tricks, or surprises.

"I have to agree with Aryll," Rusl commented with an uncharacteristically comical tone. "Just make sure you keep that hood well pulled down," he chuckled as he pinched the front of Link's hood in his fingers and pulled it past his eyes.

"There comes a point when someone is trying to blend in too hard, that they stick out like a sore thumb," Link commented as he lifted his hood ever slightly. "Its all about appearing utterly normal, yet utterly forgettable."

"You sound like a Sheikah Shadow," Aryll laughed.

"Well, they know a thing or two about blending in," he replied before adjusting his belt and glanced around. "I guess I'll see you three later."

"If you need us we will be around the tournament grounds after the memorial." With a hug, shake, and a kiss on Aden's little head, Link struck off in one direction, and his family took off in the other. As he had said, Link began the process of appearing absolutely normal, and seamlessly blended into the crowds ahead. To his benefit, everyone was too busy with their own musings to really notice him, so he simply waltzed out the front gate with no one being the wiser.

The Heroes' Memorial, as it had been named was located only a dozen or so yards south of the Sacred Grounds, which sported a small man-made semi-circle pond, elegantly paved walkway and patio, flowers of all sorts, and then at its center a large statue. The statue, however, was still covered in a large white sheet, and all around it stood proud Royal Guards to defend it. Link was careful to chose a spot to stand under a nearby tree where he could easily see the memorial, but was well out of sight to any potential lovely blonde-haired princesses.

He waited with bated breath, and nervously wrung his hands as he scanned the crowd for any sign of Zelda. First, he spotted many dignitaries of the various races across Hyrule, including the king of the Zora, who towered above all those around him. Zora, Gerudo, Rito, Goron… everyone was accounted for.

And then his eyes finally fell upon a truly beautiful, but pitiful being adorned in a simple and graceful dress which accentuated her wonderful figure, but by no stretch of the imagination was distasteful for the current event. However, what made his heart seize were Zelda's eyes. He knew he always hated seeing her sad, but goddess, the look in her miserable eyes made him want to crumble, and rush to her side right then and there to soothe her worries, and hold her in his arms.

However, he maintained his self-control, and reminded himself that he needed to wait a while longer to honor the fallen.

The Queen, looking just as somber as she was regal, stood before the crowd on a small dais, and addressed her people.

"My dear citizens," she began loudly so that all could hear. "I would like to thank you all for joining us here on this day of commemoration, and remembrance. Like each of you, I have known the pains of loss and grief, and my heart will forever cry out to the brave souls we lost in war. Truly, their sacrifice exemplifies all that we hold dear in our hearts; honor, justice, peace, freedom, and love. These are all gifts that we have the liberty of enjoying because of the sacrifices they made to protect this kingdom.

"Behind me stands a monument dedicated to the countless soldiers, citizens, husbands, wives, sons and daughters that were taken from us, so that we may forevermore come here in the early mornings, and peaceful nights to remember the great price they paid, and honor their spirits to the fullest. I pray that you will all find peace here, as I will find peace in remembrance of my husband, the late King, and the Chosen Hero that bravely followed in his footsteps, and saved this world for assured destruction."

Her voice felt silent, and the murmurs of a hundred soft prayers were lifted to the heavens. With a wave of her hand, the Queen ordered the covering to be removed from the monument, and revealed a massive stone statue of a Loftwing with its wings spread wide, and a sword clutched in its claws. Upon the pedestal it stood there was a polished brass plaque which was inscribed with an ancient funeral prayer, and a passage to honor the dead.

Tears were shed among all, but they were tears of peace and acceptance, which moved Link in a deeper way than he imagined or understood. He offered his own prayers the goddesses above, wishing for strength and understanding to grace all of those who hurt… the Princess most of all.

Although, he aimed to alleviate at least some of that pain himself, with the will of Three.

He could see the agony in her eyes as they turned red and glistened with tears, before at last they began to roll down her cheeks freely, but silently. He knew those types of tears all too well. Those were the tears of someone who ached to the core… someone who had wept for countless hours, and no longer had the energy to go on, even though they somehow found more tears to give.

His heart and chest burned seeing her like this. He yearned for her. He wanted to give her anything and everything he had to offer.

 _But not yet._

The Royal Family and its cohorts all congregated around the monument as endless streams of civilians and off-duty soldiers alike came to offer their condolences, and to share in their mourning, and in the fray Link spotted his uncle and cousin, and her child, make their way to the center. A small smile stretched across his lips as he watched Zelda's expression light up when she spotted them, and embraced Aryll with desperate arms.

How quickly they had become steadfast friends, Link mused. Then again, Aryll just seemed to have that trait of disarming endearment in every facet of her personality. That at least came as no surprise. He continued to watch with a warm smile as she asked to hold Aden, and for a fleeting moment it seemed as if the pain had vanished as she cuddled the baby in her neck.

Goddess, she would make an extraordinary mother.

"I find that in times of great trial and tribulation, the good in this world is called to bring forth its best," a sagely voice suddenly spoke beside him. Link carefully glanced over, and found a very familiar looking Rito Bard gazing off to the crowd. Luckily, it seemed he had yet to recognize, or faintly recall who he was.

 _He certainly gets around._

"Truly, there is not greater reform to the pursuit of chivalrous ideals than when such freedoms are threatened, no?"

"I find that to be an admirable statement," Link replied, ever so slightly changing his voice, and hiding his face partially.

"Such times, as hard as they may be, do create opportunities for some magnificent songs, however. I feel that there is no greater calling for a bard than to recount the tales of loss but also victory in song. But where are my manners? The name is Kass."

"Ah, yes. I've seen you once or twice. It is a pleasure to properly meet you. You were good friends with the King, were you not?"

"That I was," Kass replied thoughtfully. "And you must be none other than the King's spiritual successor, no?" Link froze for a moment, realizing that he had indeed been recognized. Perhaps he had said too much.

"Don't tell anyone quite yet," Link was quick to say.

"And why is that?" the Bard asked with a snicker. "Surely a man who has returned from the dead desires to waste no further time. Why do you wait to speak to her?"

"I do not want to impede on this sensitive time of mourning," Link answered, amazed by how calm and unsurprised the Rito sounded. "It would be very disrespectful."

"But you do plan on revealing yourself at some point, correct?"

"Yes," Link answered, "but at a better time, and hopefully away from the crowd. I wouldn't want to make a scene."

"Ah," Kass aired, "Modesty is a most becoming trait of a Hero. However, I think in this instance, maybe a little show of self-confidence would perhaps ease some people's minds about their stance on future leadership. Remember that, Hero, and you'll thank me."

"What do you mean?" he asked perplexedly.

"I think you know exactly what I mean," Kass replied with a raised brow. Their conversation lapsed into a momentary silence.

"May I ask," Link began. "How were you able to recognize me so quickly in this massive crowd? Am I that obvious?" Kass merely laughed omnisciently before responding in a most vague fashion, which never really answered the question in a real way, nor did it clarify what he meant.

"You know, I always thought of bards as sorts of messengers. Through our work we relay information in songs and stories, and while it may be easy to forget something spoken to you, it is much harder to forget a catchy tune. Music is a far better means of passing along communications in my opinion… I suppose it would only be logical to assume that the goddesses above would grace their faithful messengers with true sight of others, and the knowledge to pass along their _messages_ , wouldn't you agree?"

Before Link even had the chance to shoot the odd Rito a utterly confused expression, he was gone with a flutter of his colorful feather, and vanished somewhere behind the blinding sunlight above.

 _Odd…_

For the better part of an hour, the citizens of Hyrule crowded through to the memorial and prayed with optimism in their hearts, until at last horns were blared to signify that the Festival of Peace was to begin, starting with rousing bouts of strength, skill, and endurance in the tournament grounds nearby. Remembering what Aryll had said to him earlier that morning, Link cut his way through the crows effortlessly, all while keeping himself distant from any signs of the Queen and Princess, and waited just north of the fighting rings with a vigilant eye.

He wondered when his opportunity would arrive to at last find Zelda.

Perhaps once the tournament was over? The Royal Family usually had a break for lunch right around the closure of tournaments, which meant that they would retire to a personal tent to eat. That would be when it was the least crowded. In his head it sounded like a done deal, although the moment he spotted Aryll in the crowd with her child, and Rusl trailing closely behind her with a practice sword and sparring helmet in hand, he got the inkling of a feeling that they had something else in mind…

Something most… unnecessarily dramatic.

Aryll almost opened her mouth to shout his name, but quickly realized the mistake, and simply increased her pace until she was standing before him and whispered.

"Good to see you," she said with a grin. "Guess what!?"

"What?" Link asked cautiously.

"I believe a certain Sir Kiln from Hateno Village is signed up for the tournament, and it seems that we've found him." With a smug grin, Rusl pushed the helmet and sword into Link's arms and laughed. "I hear the winner gets to be honored by the Royal Family personally. Maybe the fair maiden will give the victor a kiss." Link shot a long half-assed glare at her, but that only seemed to make her laugh even more.

"Sir Kiln?" he asked sarcastically. "Really!? You could have been at least a bit more creative than rearranging the letters in my name!"

"Shhh," she shushed him with a finger over his lips. "Not so loud, people might get suspicious!"

"Aryll, really," he insisted. "This is not exactly the best way to handle this."

"I disagree," Rusl commented alongside his daughter. "I think its actually the best way. Win the tournament, and then pull off your helmet once you're being honored!"

Link was on the losing side of this argument it seemed… and if he were being honest… perhaps the idea had at least some merit when he considered what the Rito Bard had told him. Link inhaled and exhaled as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, and made his decision.

"Alright, fine," he sighed. "But after that, please refrain from interfering with how I handle these types of things."

"No promises," Aryll teased. Link glared again. "Okay fine, I promise not to do you the biggest favors in the world ever again, for as long as you live. Never ever."

"Not helping," Link huffed as he quickly checked if no one was looking before throwing back his hood, and donned his sparring helmet.

"Fighters, to the meeting area," a courier shouted nearby, summoning a horde of both men, and women of nearly all races.

"Go get'em Hero, oh, and don't make it too obvious. Make it look like you're really trying your best to just barely beat them." Aryll laughed with a light shove and watched her cousin walk off to battle.

* * *

Zelda could not decide what was worse; being out and about where she had to distract her troubled mind, or retreating to her room to be swallowed by her anguish. She massaged her eyelids with a somber sigh, and steeled her inner emotions. She needed to be strong for her people, even if it drained her to the core.

She had at least relatively held it together during the memorial service, and when Aryll surprised her by showing up, she felt her mood lighten considerably. Holding her sweet little boy was nothing short of a blessing… but now they were not there to comfort her. Despite offering her invitation, Aryll and her father declared that they had an important task to fulfill first, but promised to visit her again later.

It was odd, but she was in no position to pry.

"The tournament is about to start, dear," he mother said gently as she wrapped her arm around her. "Why don't you come join me and the other leaders? Its quite a merry gathering out there. I think the people needed this as much as we did."

Zelda nodded slightly, and allowed herself to be whisked away to her chair to watch the tournament. Unlike the last event on her seventeenth birthday, all races were allowed to participate, although there were no Goron's present, mostly because they did not fancy sword combat, and had a rather unfair advantage when it came to strength.

There were no complaints from them, however. They were more than happy to join in the revelry of cheering the fighters on.

Also unlike last time, Zelda was not sitting at the edge of her seat to watch every fight… There was no special blond-headed knight that she was rooting for. No secret lover to hope for. She had to suppress that thought, however, so that she would not betray the neutral expression she tried to hard to achieve. Her mother squeezed her hand and smiled sadly as a silent way of saying 'it's okay.'

Deep down Zelda knew it was not okay, but there was nothing to be done. No more sleepless nights of prayer seemed to change anything, so what would change now?

A big cheer from the crowd stirred her attention, but only for a moment. In some far off ring, by the looks of it, a Hylian sell-sword was giving a Zora footman a run for his rupees.

The fighting continued on for an hour or so, but Zelda paid little attention to it as she glanced out to Hyrule Field… particularly towards a large patch of land where ashen grass and broken ground was slowly giving away to new growth. _Two months…_ Before long, that patch of grass and dirt would be fully grown over, covering the memories it bore.

If only she could cover her own memories like that… If only she could forget the pain.

A third and fourth cheer boomed from the crowd. Zelda assumed it was nearing the final duel. It seemed that a tall Gerudo Warrior would be facing off with the same Hylian sell-sword she had seen earlier. She had never seen a Gerudo and a Hylian fight against one another, so she decided that she might as well try to participate in the events, and forced herself to watch.

With the signal to go, the two fighters sprung into action, and the Gerudo Warrior flew at her opponent with grace and ferociousness. However, it seemed her opponent was well set to defend himself, as he blocked each attack with respectable ease. It was nothing spectacular ―nothing compared to Link― but she had to give credit where it was due. He was holding up quite well, considering how aggressive the Gerudo Warrior was.

He won the first match resoundingly, but lost the second to a rookie mistake. Almost too rookie, if his previous demonstrations of ability were anything to go by… Perhaps he messed up on purpose, and just wanted to give her a chance.

At the gong, their third match began, and this time it was the Gerudo woman who was hard pressed to defend herself against the merciless onslaught of blunt steel, which ended in her sword being flung several yards away with a quick flick of the Hylian's wrist.

 _Impressive,_ she supposed.

This pattern continued for two more rounds, until at last the Gerudo Warrior accepted defeat with a reverent bow, and a firm handshake, sharing a rather risqué compliment about the Hylian's ability and romantic availability. Gerudo Women were always known for being blunt in their search for worthy spouses, and being defeated in a fight certainly riled them up in a good way when it came at the hands of a eligible man, but the Hylian sell-sword kindly declined with a gesture of the hand and an inaudible whisper.

The Gerudo made a sad face, but clapped him on the back regardless, and smiled respectfully.

"And the winner is," the fight manager leaned in to hear the sell-swords name and title, "Sir Kiln of Hateno Village." The crowd all cheered and 'whooped' loudly with pounding fists and claps. Zelda smiled slightly… at least they were having a good time… that was what truly mattered. Her people's happiness should come before her own, she lamented.

The Queen stood from her chair, and gracefully walked to the edge of the dais, and once again spoke loud enough for all to hear as Sir Kiln took a knee.

"Well done Sir Kiln of Hateno. Your fighting was exemplary by all standards, as was the fighting of all that participated today. Would you please remove your helmet, so that I may bless and honor you?" Sir Kiln hesitated for a moment, and glanced first at the Queen, and then to Zelda. There was an odd, awkward silence that fell upon the whole gathering, which confused her, but eventually Sir Kiln slowly reached up, and removed his helmet.

There were countless audible gasps, and Zelda herself leapt to her feet, her mouth agape in utter disbelief.

"Link!?"

"Well, who else would I be?" he replied with a devilish smirk. Everything around her passed into a blur as she charged forward, focused on the one and only thing that mattered to her; Link. He was laughing by the time she collided with him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as tightly as she could. He was real! She could feel his beating heart, the heat of his body, and the strength of his arms around her.

Link was alive! She could hardly believe it!

After all the pain and suffering she fought through day in and day out. After the sleepless nights, the desperate begging on her knees to the goddesses. After accepting that she could never see her beloved knight again... accepting that one day she would have to marry another, out of love or necessity... Goddesses, there were times she contemplated dark, terrible things. Things that nearly brought her to the floor in battered shambles. And yet, she had been blessed with the one and only gift she had ever prayed for till he knees bled. Link, her perfectly flawed hero was alive. She was lost for words, and yet so full of them all at once. There were a millions things she wanted to say and ask, and yet she was never happier than just burying her face and heart into the crook of his neck, and relishing the millions of things that were said, but never spoken. Every beat of his heart, movement of the lean muscle under his skin, every shuddering breath, all of it was everything she ever needed.

"Zelda," he croaked. "Can't. Breathe."

"Oh goddesses, Link," she cried as she cupped the sides of his face, tears of joy running down her cheeks as she bubbled with ecstatic laughter. "You're alive!"

"So it would seem," he replied softly with a smile that had her smitten.

"You face," she sniffled, running her fingers against his brow and cheek. "The scars. They're gone."

"I guess you were right all along," he whispered. "The goddesses reward those who are faithful…"

Her heart was screaming, and she grasped for the laughter in her throat.

"But why did it take so long?" she wept as she pinned her head against his chest, and gripped his torso.

"I honestly have no idea… I only arrived just south of Hateno two days ago. I thought I shored up to the afterlife when I awoke. You can imagine my surprise when I happened upon Lurenlin Village and found out I was _not_ dead."

"Why didn't you come straight here!?" she reprimanded as she pulled away slightly, and tried to summon her best crossed expression… although it melted away the moment she looked into his glistening eyes.

"Well, I thought it would be quicker to check on my family, and borrow a horse, since it was closer, but when they told me they were going to pay you a surprise visit, I decided to hitch a ride, and arrived late last night. I was sure you were too tired, and then with the memorial this morning… I didn't want to be disrespectful."

"So instead you decide to fight in a tournament for an hour and a half instead of coming to me!?" she asked trying her best not to show her unequivocally joyous laughter.

"Listen, that part wasn't my idea," he chuckled defensively as his arms closed in tighter. "Aryll put me up to it before she even told me ―going on, and on about how romantic and dramatic it would be― and there was no disappointing her… so… I figured I― are you angry with me?" There was a genuine moment of fear in his watery eyes. The laughter she tried so hard to control burst out suddenly, and she tucked her head in the crook of his neck.

"No, of course not, Link. Goddess, I'm just so happy you're home."

"I am too," he whispered in her ear, his voice wavering with undeniable emotion. "Ehm… Zelda… we should probably…" She started to laugh again when she looked around and realized a crowd had gathered, and were all watching them with wide eyes and open mouths, including her mother.

"Is it really him?" they heard some people will whisper, and to Zelda's utter surprise, Link let go of her to turn, and publicly addressed them, as if he had all the confidence in the world.

"I imagine you're all wondering how and why I have returned, and I'll be honest, I hardly understand it myself… But I suppose the goddesses work in mysterious ways, as the old adage goes. It seems that my role has not been finished here on this earth, and I pray that you will allow me to serve you all in that purpose, in whatever form that may be."

A beat passed, and looks of awe slowly passed to smiles, and then from the dais stepped down a massive Goron with mighty tufts of white hair shooting out from his head, and the grooming's of a long beard in the making. Master Yunobo, as Zelda's mother had put it, had grown into quite a spitting image of his ancestor Daruk, who was revered as their patron example of strength and courage, so naturally he had the personality to boot. From his great beaming smiles, and booming voice that rattled windows, Yunobo, while a simply spoken individual, was never in short supply of comradeship, and compassion.

"Well then," he laughed. "Doesn't seem like that long ago when another man of your name came to save our home up at Death Mountain. We called him a true brother… And now I would like to say that if it weren't for your actions during the Last Battle, then I think we can all agree that we would all be having a nasty time, eh? That is why I, Yunobo of Goron Village, would like to honor you with the title of a true Brother, Hero of Hyrule!" With a great laugh that started from his belly, Yunobo clapped Link on the back hard enough to make him stumble ―of course meaning him no harm, but perhaps was a little too enthusiastic.

"As do I," a second, much more dignified voice began as its bearer joined in the crowd. "I, Sidon, King of the Zora, hereby extend the hand of friendship in the highest honor, to you, Hero of Hyrule."

"Even in my far-off lands I have heard of your bravery in battle, Hero," a beautiful but fierce voice followed. "As the Chief of the Gerudo, I Makeela Riju also bestow upon this voe the rite of friendship."

"As do the people of Rito Village," a final warrior declared. "As the Elder-elect of Rito Village, I wish to personally commend you for your efforts, and offer shelter in our nests should you ever be in need."

Zelda shot a beaming smile at Link, whose confidence had melted away into a bright, red-faced expression of embarrassed surprise. Apparently, this response was by far more gracious than he had expected, which to his credit was understandable considering his previous experiences with the masses. However, there was one last wave of approval that she knew he was desperate to hear…

What would the people say? Of course, Zelda already knew that answer, but it seemed that he did not. That was when the Queen stepped in, a gracious smile on her lips, and spoke for their people.

"Well then," she said with smart and humored glances to the Hylians that surrounded them. "As the champion and savior of our people, I, the Queen of all Hyrule, offer you my sincerest thanks, and wish to honor you in any way you should desire."

The crowd, which was comprised of mostly Hylians, broke into a loud cheer, and clapped loudly as they honored the Hero that saved the world and the Descendant that sealed away the Evil with showers of praise and adoration. If it were possible, Link's smile grew even wider, and a deep laughter that emanated from his chest worked its way out to his mouth.

Everyone and their mother came to shake hands with Link and get a chance to meet him, and while he was rather bashful at first, he started to warm up to it, and began to accept their praise with a little more grace. Through the thick of the crowd they fought their way back to the dais, and then out towards the Royal Family's personal tents, all while Zelda never let go of his hand. As nice as it was to see Link finally being appreciated for all the sacrifices he made, she wanted nothing more than to whisk him away, and plant as many kisses on his lips as she could.

Goddesses preserve her, they would probably need a chaperone at this point.

Try as she may, Zelda barely managed to sweep away the flood of passionate images that scattered across her brain, involuntarily making the tips of her ears turn bright red. His lack of facial scars, and the fact that he was holding her hand in public were clue enough that the goddesses restored ― _everything―_ that prevented him from accepting what laid in his heart. And the acceptance of the people was like the icing on the cake.

She dared to wonder how long it would be until they could be joined together.

Granted, she understood that it would not be nearly as simple as just waltzing into the Cathedral and demanding for their vows to be taken then and there; there were processes, and traditions, and goddesses knows what else they would need to do first.

And besides, he had just returned. She was certain he would need and want time to adjust and settle in, and of course there would be a set amount of time that they would have to court one another properly, which she was certain would receive push back from the other nobles who were either eligible suitors themselves, or had eligible suitors as sons, as in her experience their best interests were usually in promotion what was either best for them, or what they thought was best for the kingdom.

However, the Old Laws were never put back into place by her parents, seeing that her father was in almost the exact same position as Link was himself all those years ago, so there was nothing truly stopping them from being wed. She just was hoping that it would all go down as smoothly as possible, and did not rub anyone the wrong way.

Still, she was at ease just knowing that they could at last be together… Nothing would stop them.

Suddenly, Zelda saw their opportunity to escape the crowd through the thicket of tents nearby, so she swiftly pulled him through the open flap of a nearby tent, then pulled him the opposite end and exited again just before diving right back into another. It was a madhouse of activity, but despite Link's constant 'where are we going's' and 'Zelda, what are you doing's', she merely laughed and towed him along through countless tents until at last they were alone.

The moment of realization struck his eyes like a bolt of lightning, and before he could even say another word, Zelda gripped onto the back of his head, and pulled their lips together. Her heart was racing, but when he began to return the favor, it beat even faster. Their breathing grew heavier, and their kisses more passionate, but they remained intertwined with one another. His hands ran up and down the small of her back, or ran through the roots of her hair, and slowly but surely, they inched towards one side of the tent where there where crates and barrels were stacked.

She could not remember if was an accident, or if she had nudged it on purpose, but as they absentmindedly drifted back, Link stumbled slightly, and they fell back together until Link was having to prop himself up with his hands as he 'sat' on one of the crates, so to speak. Primal desire overtook Zelda, and she chose not to relent in her affection as she pressed her body closer to his, still kissing him incessantly. Link seemed possessed by the same desire, as his hands drifted down to her hips, as if they itched to reach for more. She took him by surprise when she pressed herself against him, removing all space between them, eliciting a hum of pleasure from them both as their bodies collided, and lips began to wander to jawlines, necks, and ears... and hands... those were getting near dangerous places indeed.

Luckily, before it went any further, they both came to their senses, and withdrew their lips from one another.

"Not yet," Link gasped.

"You're right," she sighed between heavy breaths.

"But I do love you," he whispered reassuringly.

"After what you just did, I would think so," she snickered before stepping away.

"I believe that was your doing, _Princess,"_ he shot back with an impish grin.

"Ah, technicalities," she puffed, before pecking him on the lips once. "I love you too." His grin grew even larger.

"Come on, we should get back before people get suspicious," he said as he took her hand.

"Oh, its probably too late for that," she laughed uneasily, but followed his lead.

Luckily, they were able to sneak back to the crowd with relative ease, and were apparently unmissed as in the chaos of the remaining festivities, they had managed to disappear even from the Queen unnoticed. They were only gone for no more than five minutes, anyways, so anyone that might have seen really should have little to assume.

Next on the agenda was none other than dancing… which judging by the way Link swallowed the lump in his throat, he was feeling most unsure about.

"Its easy," she nudged him as they gazed out onto the evened field where primarily the younger members of each race eagerly followed the guide of the instructor who led them in a slew of line dances and jigs. "Just listen to what that man over there is shouting, and follow along."

"But I've never danced before!" he tried to insist.

"Well you better learn before some other young handsome Hylian tests his bravery and sweeps me away on to the dance floor without you," she fanned dramatically, a clear grin on her lips just to edge him on.

"I don't know, Princess," he replied mischievously as he glanced over to a group of young women that nervously stared at him as one particularly brave and charming Zora girl cautiously approached him with rosy cheeks. "I'm beginning to think I have a few admirers… This so called 'handsome Hylian' better show himself quick, otherwise it will be you left to stand alone on the side of the dance floor."

"Oh you're insufferable," she snooted before grabbing his hand and pulled into the fray of dancers. Before long they had forgotten about all that, as Zelda laughed hysterically while Link struggled endearingly to keep up as the steps were called out for the next line dance. It was a simple little dance too, one that Zelda had never danced to either, as it was almost unheard of for village dances such as these to be held within the Castle walls, but having plenty of experience with moving to the rhythms of songs gave her a distinct advantage of her partner.

"Think of it dancing like the steps in your drills," she told him with a giggle as the joined at the elbows in a spin, which to his credit actually seemed to do him some good as after that point he managed to keep up and in step considerably better. By the end of the first dance he was able to complete a whole set without falling out of step.

"See, I told you its not so bad," she teased him, which warranted her a squinty-eyed glare that melded into a grin from her Hero, but she would not have had it any other way. She was quite certain that she had never been happier in her entire life than she was there under the warm mid-day sun being spun around in his gentle hands. Her laughing nearly never ceased, but even she admitted that she needed a quick break before jumping into the next dance. Aryll and Rusl found them at that point, and as she expected ―and was absolutely amused to watch― Link's dear cousin pulled him back out onto the dance floor, and had him panting by the second and third jig while she practically dragged around by the sleeves. Zelda took the chance to hold little Aden again, and coddled him with kisses and babyish babbling.

She was speechless by how such a wonderful blessing of a child could have been the product of something so horrendous and destructive.

It awoke a deep longing in her heart to one day hold a child of her own.

"Princess Zelda," a familiar voice suddenly called urgently.

"Jonathan, its good to see you! I'm glad you were able to venture from the Citadel!"

"Where's Link!?" he blurted out with wide eyes. "I just heard what happe―"

"He's on the dancefloor with Aryll," she laughed. Without a goodbye, Jonathan dove into the overcrowded floor like a man trying to find a needle in the haystack, and soon enough the three emerged, with Jonathan at the center of them with his arms hung over their shoulders and beaming with laughter.

"Is he always so physical _touchy?"_ Rusl asked critically with squinted eyes as he observed Jonthan's arm around his daughter like a hawk watches its prey.

"You have nothing to fear from Sergeant Jonathan," Zelda reassured him with a warm smile. "He served as one of my escorts when Link was kidnapped. You can trust him as you can trust Link. They've been friends since childhood." The sentiment only seemed to lesser Rusl's glare slightly, but Zelda could not help but snicker at the overprotective father.

Of course, she could never blame him… After what happened to his wife and daughter… It was no wonder.

From then on Zelda was just content with flowing with the conversations that flowed between the whole group, often catching a knowledgeable glance from Link that made her heart swell. Goddesses, she was just so happy that merely basking in his presence warmed her heart. Other familiar faces joined in too, many of which were some of Link's closest friends from his days during training, Dan and Liam being the main members of that circle, followed by many of his neighbors. Ariel burst in, near tears as she greeted both her brother and Link, along with her bashful _intended_ , Eric, who had grown nearly as tall as Link by then, and whose arms spoke of a capable smithy.

Angela, Jonathan and Ariel's mother, also made an appearance, and embraced Link like a surrogate mother, and in tow was the short, elderly, but every so sprightly Misses Tamlin, the Sheikah Cucconeer, who made Link bend down so that she could pinch his cheeks, declaring how unfair it was that he seemed like he was growing younger while she grew older.

" _Its just the scars,"_ he attempted to explain to her, trying his best not to laugh, but one ear-tug and hug later, they melted back into joyful banter.

Zelda reveled in this rare time that she was surrounded by a group of people that looked at her like a goddess, and bowed and apologized for every little thing. They acted to relaxed… so personably around her. Of course, having Link being the center of attention allowed her the opportunity to just observe and enjoy, which took the weight off of her. It was a refreshing change, and she decided then that someday she would invite them all to dine with her and her mother someday in the Castle. As friends and family of Link, they would forever be honored guests ―and regarding family, she supposed she would have a couple of in-laws soon.

Hopefully sooner than later.

The dancing continued for a lot longer than she had anticipated, and on more than one occasion Link was pulled back onto the dancefloor by some swooned damsel in distress that wanted nothing more than a chance to be close to the young and handsome Hero. Of course, knowing where his heart truly was, there was no tinge of jealousy when Link accepted their requests, but only because he felt bad for saying no.

However, it seemed that most of the men surrounding her were much more timid in requesting her hand, to which she attributed to a fear of upsetting the man some viewed practically as a Demi-god ―which of course was ridiculous― but once Jonathan offered to lead her, she took his hand with a gracious smile, and after that it seemed to ease the worries of the others, and soon they lined up for the chance to dance with the lovely Princess of Hyrule.

Most of the partners she danced with were of a genuine, perhaps a bit shy sort, but she was sure to reassure them and part with them polite smiles and compliments that bolstered their spirits. Others would ramble on and on about Link, and puff their chests out as they declared that they never believed any of the ill rumors they heard about him long ago concerning his loyalty and agreeableness in all manners. For those types, she made sure to blow a little hot air onto the situation, and perhaps exaggerated Link's other, none-world-saving accomplishments, just to help solidify a positive social standing of the Hero for any who would come to doubt.

However, she did not expect any ill will from the people, but from the stingier knights and noblemen who were a little to stuffed with pride to change their minds… but that too would be easily dealt with.

During a rather lively village reel, Zelda burst into laughter from the sidelines when she caught glimpse of Link dancing with a Gerudo Woman who was nearly a head taller than himself, and ―to his absolute abject horror― was moving her body in the ways only Gerudo Women could, predominantly in the hip area. Had it not been the positively terrified expression on Link's face Zelda might have gone a little red with possessiveness, but seeing him cower from the clear advances made her heart tickle.

She could have never asked for a more loyal man.

Luckily, Aryll came along and rescued him, and brought him back safe and sound.

"A little more than you could handle?" Zelda asked with a raised brow and crooked grin. The comment made his cheeks burn a bright red for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. He chose to remain silent.

"Aryll," Jonathan popped in with a rather flirtatious bow. "Might I have the next dance?"

"Of course, Sir Jonathan," she replied, "Although I hope you don't mind little Aden joining us."

"I'll take him," Link chuckled as he gently took and cradled Aden in his arms, and swooped him away to baby him.

"Don't hesitate to call if he needs anything," Jonathan shouted over his shoulder as he escorted Aryll back in. Without another word, Rusl seeped into a good observation point, but kept a respectable distance. Aryll was giggling like a school girl, prompting Zelda to shoot Link a wide knowing smirk, to which he replied,

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe someone is a little infatuated."

"I think you're quite right, Mister Hero," she replied as she stroked the cheek of the child in his arms, marveling at his bright blue eyes, thin features, and darker hair and skin. "He looks just like her, minus the hair and skin."

"He's certainly got the nose and the family's eyes. Although his ears are slightly less pointed that our own."

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

"No not at all," he answered simply. "I think he'll grow up to be quite a handsome young man."

"Does Jonathan enjoy children?"

"He adores them," Link replied with a grin. "You know, he always wanted to move out to the country and start a farm and family when he retired…"

"Oh," she hummed mischievously. "Well then. Perhaps a little nudge is in order?" she asked with a wink. Link laughed and glanced over to his friend and cousin on twirling about, huge optimistic smiles on their faces.

"You know, I don't even think it will be necessary."

"Well, at any rate, make sure you soothe Rusl's feathers first. He's worried sick, the poor man."

"Ah, he'll be alright. I'm sure once he asks for her father's blessing everything will turn out all right, just as I will ask your's." Zelda's brows furrowed oddly, titled her head.

"When I was making my way to Hateno, the Spirit of the Hero visited me," Link explained. "He apologized that he was not there for the final battle, to which I assured him that he did everything he could. After that, he relayed several messages to me. One was from my father and mother, and then the other… It was from your father. First, I was told I needed to pray for your father's blessing before asking for your hand, and then he said that his heart swells with pride and affection for you, and that he excitedly waits for the day when he can see you and your mother again…"

"Oh Link," she gasped as her tears began to water with sentiment.

"He loves you very much Zelda," Link whispered softly. "Even now, his heart beats for you and the Queen."

"I don't know if I should cry or sing with joy," Zelda half-sniffled half-laughed.

"Why not both?" Link asked as he gave her hand a loving squeeze.

"I miss him," she lamented as her head came to rest on his shoulder.

"I know," Link hummed. "But find peace in knowing that he's happy. Happy and at peace, just as my parents are." Zelda sighed with relief, and melted into him a little more.

"So… did you pray? To my father?"

The look on his face said that he knew that question was coming.

"Oh, there's no need," Link chuckled spiritedly. "He's already given his blessing. He just wanted to toy with me."

"Well. Onward to the first step then, huh?" she teased.

"Would you have it any other way?" he replied nonchalantly before wrapping his free arm around her, and watched as many merry couples swayed in dance.


	47. The Long Sought Reward

**Author's Note:** Can you believe its finally here? The last chapter... sigh... As sad as I am to say it is over (excluding the epilogue which will be posted shortly) I am also super excited to bring about the conclusion to the insanely long story. When I first began I was like "oh yeah, 50,000 words, easy." Little did I know I would end up here nearly six months later with 400,000+... Yikes.

Now, quick warning Things get a little spicy at the end so read at your discretion. I don't go into risque, to the second, "omg I can feel it coming" detail, because frankly I'm not a writer of lemons, but fair warning, it does go into some _finer_ detail about the work up to it. I skipped the rest because... not my thing. There are other stories that fulfill that role, and I for one think they can degrade a story if it gets too too into it.

Like I said, the epilogue will be up soon (if not later tonight) and will be probably 3000 words-ish long, depending on how well I summarize. And with the epilogue I will also be posting the first chapter of my next story! I have not thought of a title yet, but it will take place 10,000 years before the events of BOTW, wherein Calamity Ganon arises for the very first time and the Hero and Descendant fight alongside the guardian army to take him down. It will be futuristic-ish in regards to technology, but there will certainly still be the medieval aspects to it.

Also, the Link in that story is going to be _very_ different from the Link in this one. Also, Zelda will be very different. Still sweet and cute, but... well. You'll just have to read.

Make sure to favorite my profile so you can get an email whenever I upload it!

Without further adieu,

 **-Written In Bold**

* * *

 _Chapter forty-seven, The Long Sought Reward_

Life in the Castle ever since Link had returned consisted primarily of three things; studying, training, and spending time with his beloved Princess, and he treasured every second of it. True, the studying in particular was difficult and rather strenuous, but he found that after ever parting kiss, and heartfelt moment with Zelda, his resolve was strengthened to gain as much knowledge as he could in regard to managing and running a kingdom. He was simply possessed with the desire to do anything and everything to both prove to himself and the people he would one day co-rule that he was capable of being not only a just, but also a wise and benevolent monarch.

That was why he was more than willing to discuss how his lessons were progressing with the Queen as they sat down together for a simple lunch. Zelda was not with them that day, as she had many errands to run, a dress fitting being one of them ―of course, that part of it was unknown to Link― and would not be back for another two hours. However, Link was rather okay with that, as he intended to ask the Queen a few _very_ important questions.

"I hear your lessons are going well," she said with a warm smile. "Are you feeling quite confident?"

"I am," Link replied honestly. "I find that more often than not that lessons regarding leadership skills, and the mentality required for such things are much easier to pick up on, as they are quite in tune with everything I was taught and experienced when I was in the Royal Guard. Although, I have to work considerably harder to fully grasp and apply subjects that focus on the finer details of ruling… logistics, procedures… arithmetic… critical thinking… things of that nature."

"Well your impeccable table manners speak volumes to your progress," she chortled with a squinty-eyed grin that reminded him of her daughter. "And your tutors praise your abilities to learn and retain information quickly."

"Thank you," he replied bashfully. "I'm sure they are just being kind, but I am grateful for their compliments."

"Nonsense," she laughed. "You know academics can be. Stuck up, hypercritical. Even to the Hero of Hyrule. They are genuine in their praises."

Link flushed a little but accepted the compliment.

"And of the Guard? How are things going there?" In the first month of his return, the Queen had appointed him the Commander of the Royal Guard after its old overseer, Commander Varin, had retired at the ripe old age of sixty, leaving his position vacant and in need of filling. Link, being promoted from the rank of Sergeant, all the way to Commander had ruffled many feathers up and down the chain of command, but no one dared to openly oppose the Queen, much less Link, the Hero of Hyrule and courter of the Princess.

Still, more than a few Captains and Lieutenants were rather sour about it.

"Things are going well," Link answered. "I've been trying to apply everything I've learned over the past few months, and I am quite pleased with the level of autonomy the Guard has achieved. Its opened up many opportunities for the lower officers to prove themselves in the task of managing security, and also has allowed me to have a little more spare time to study since they take care of the smaller details and decisions. I find that the stacks of paperwork on my desk have been cut down dramatically over the past few weeks."

"Empowerment and distribution of tasks," the Queen hummed knowingly. "Key elements in leading such large operations successfully. I applaud you."

"Thank you," Link beamed with pride. "I believe that I have also found a slew of candidates suitable for promotion once I step down as Commander."

"Oh, have you?" the Queen asked with a raised brow and mischievous grin, quickly determining his train of thought.

"Indeed. I think that once that happens, some of the less that pleased officers will lighten up a little, so that they can fight their way to the positions they desire."

The Queen smiled and waited for him to continue down the trail.

"And on the topic of stepping down as Commander, I believe, if you are willing, that I should like to discuss my future― our future here in the Castle."

"I wondered when you would bring it up," the Queen mused lightly. "Discuss away."

"It has been nearly six months now that Zelda and I have courted," Link began. "And as you know I love your daughter deeply. I have no shame to admit that. And while I understand some of the less than generous noblemen and council members are hesitant of me given our… unsavory history, I would like to ask for your permission and blessing to propose."

The smirk on the Queens lips peaked even higher, and the sharpness of her eyes grew keener.

Link started to ramble nervously at that point.

"I of course understand if you think it would be wise to wait longer… or if you think I should prove myself more… or if the council―"

"Come now, Link," the Queen laughed. "I think we both know that no matter what we can never make every single council member happy, because lets be honest, when they have something personally invested, they can be rather biased."

"I know that, but… I just want as many people to be on our side."

"I wouldn't worry about it dear. You just about have all of Hyrule wrapped around your finger for what you did to save us. I for one have been waiting for you to ask for my blessing for the past two months. And of course, I give it to you, full heartedly."

Link's nervous grin broke into an open mouthed, toothy smile, and he let out a long, excited sigh of relief.

"Thank you, your Grace," he laughed, trying his best to not squirm with excitement.

"Please, you may just call me mother now," the Queen smiled. "And I will hold it to you! Zelda isn't the only one that gets tired of all the formalities. So I insist, 'mother.' I will even accept mother-in-law, or Ma."

"I think I can do that, mother," Link chuckled.

"Now, have you bought or found a ring?"

"Oh I've been holding on to it two weeks after I got back," Link replied after taking a large, jubilant bite of his food, before realizing his rudeness for talking with a full mouth. "Sorry."

"No worries," she laughed. "You would not believe how long it took the late King to eat like a respectable man. I swear, he was intent on eating like an animal for as long as he could. Elbows up, using his hands." The Queen rolled her eyes at the thought but chuckled with amusement nonetheless. "Now the ring, do you have it on you right now?"

"I do actually," Link replied as he pulled a small necklace from under his shirt, which was nothing more than a leather cord looped through a small but lovely silver ring which had a crested jewel on it in the shape of a budding Silent Princess.

"Its lovely," the Queen smirked. "She'll adore it."

"I hope. I had it commissioned the day after the festival."

"Well, you were quite eager to get a move on, weren't you?" she smirked.

"These past six months have been torturing my patience, let me tell you," Link laughed. "In a good way of course," he added.

"Well, then I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that Zelda and I have already been making slight preparations. In fact, she's off being fitted for her dress right now."

"Really!?" Link gaped.

"Oh yes," she chuckled. "She will look positively lovely, I assure you."

"She could wear a burlap sack of potatoes and still look lovely. I have not a fear in my that she will look stunning!" That comment brought a thunderous laughter from the Queen, much to Link's surprise and pride. It was not often for the Queen to so openly laugh outside of polite amusement, but just as her daughter was renown for, it was infectious to say the least. Every day he came to appreciate more how similar Zelda was to her mother, and he had found yet another kindred spirit to call family.

"Well," she finally huffed after calming her laughter. "I suppose once you have chosen your day of engagement, we can begin planning the wedding in earnest. Do you have any ideas as on how you wish to propose?"

"I had a few ideas, although I would not be opposed to hearing your input," Link replied.

"I believe you are becoming as wise as you are courageous, Hero of Hyrule," the Queen grinned. "Asking for my help was probably the best step you could have taken… Now, let me hear your ideas, and then I'll add in my suggestions!"

And just like that, they went around and about for nearly another hour and a half until their plates were quite empty, and their smiles all used up, resulting in sore cheeks. However, it was more than worth it, for as they dropped their napkins on the tables, and bid each other fond goodbyes to carry out the rest of their busy schedules, they had a solid outline of their plan.

 _One more week,_ Link mused. One more week, after some careful scheming, and then they would be engaged. And with all the preliminary work set in place by the Queen, there was nothing preventing the wedding from taking place a short two months after that.

Link found it hard not to squirm and tap his feet with anticipation.

Not to mention the insatiable desires that he was very set on not bringing light to until their wedding night… but after that point… well.

He tapped his temples and refocused on his paperwork. It was better not to think about it, otherwise he would never stop, and he very well could not be in day-dream land while he studied or overlooked training. Some of the more senior officers and noblemen that he had befriended over the past few months often shot him knowing glances when he was caught in absentmindedness, dopily smiling, and occasionally would offer a rather crass comment before cackling with amusement when his ears would burn bright red.

Dan and Liam were the worst in that regard, and often had to dodge an inkwell or a well-placed shoe from their cross commander.

Still, that never stopped them from snickering like schoolboys convinced that their youngest friend had contracted a dreadful case of the cooties. And when Jonathan came to visit… goddesses above, he threated to throw them all to the gallows on charges of public indecency without remorse. They were the trifecta of innuendoes personified.

He envied Zelda. She did not have to deal with the constant embarrassment and teasing.

* * *

"We'll have to make sure we add a little extra coverage there, my lady," the Gerudo seamstress commented as she gestured to Zelda's cleavage. "We wouldn't want the poor man drooling as you walk down the aisle, now would we?" Zelda gasped with disbelief at what she had heard, which only seemed to make her attendants and seamstresses laugh egregiously.

"Remind me not to become so familiar and personable with my attendants in the future," she huffed, her cheeks turning bright red. "Hylia above, spare my ears!"

"Oh come now, my dear lady," the seamstress giggled, "I meant no harm by it. Its just, you know how men are. Even the best of them, such as your little _knight._ " With a crinkle of the nose, and a wink, the seamstress finished pinning her dress.

"I'll have you know Marie, Master Link is very capable of minding his P's and Q's," Zelda chided, although she had to fight off a bashful grin. "He would never be so tactless."

"Of course not, my lady," Marie laughed. "But even you must agree that while men very well need to learn to control what goes on in those impish little brains of theirs, we must do our part to not be stumbling blocks."

"Of course, I know that," Zelda said as she rolled her eyes before shooting a warning glare at the snickering maids nearby. "But still… Link…" she trailed off.

"Well, if his rock-solid patience wears of anytime soon, then you two can very well get on with it, and put all these _naughty_ things to rest, hmm? We're all dying here waiting for the wedding day."

"Marie!" she squealed, trying her best not to laugh.

"Be honest, my lady," Marie hooted. "I know for a fact even your precious little mind has wandered to racy thoughts. There's no shame in it, just as long as you have every intention of fulfilling them only after your married."

"I swear to the goddesses above Marie, I will stick your pin cushion into your mouth if you don't keep quiet!"

"Oh goodness, my lady, you truly are the cutest little thing when your all bothered. Fear not, you will hear no more from me. Just thought that I would work a little of my Gerudo magic to help free your spirit. Perhaps I can take you with me back to Gerudo Town, and you can sit in on a few lessons of Voe and You!"

Zelda's reddening face was answer enough.

"My offer is an open door, should you ever wish to take it," she added as a last laugh. "Well. We're done here. I'll have it altered up by the end of the week. Remember what I said Princess. You may call me anytime."

Zelda had to stand outside for a while to let the cold winter air to cool her warm skin after that torture. Although, the more she thought about it, the more she found the humor in it all, and began to chuckle to herself. Marie was right, as much as Zelda hated to admit it. Her mind drifted far to often… especially back to the kisses they shared in the privacy of the festival tent nearly six months prior. The thought alone made her heart race.

They had not kissed quite like that since then, mainly because they both came to the mutual understanding that if left unchecked, such actions would lead to a much higher chance of their discipline to falter, and partake in actions more…

 _Ah!_ She forced herself to stop thinking about it.

She tapped and rubbed the sides of her temples and refocused before returning inside and gathered her things to head back to the Castle. She promised Link that she would be back before dark, and join him and mother for dinner, which she was obliged to follow through with. The inkling of hope that in her absence, Link had confided in her mother, and perhaps asked some very important questions.

Questions that would answer the swelling desires in her heart after six months of courting.

However, that was something to think on later. There were other things to focus on as she and her escorts rode back to the Castle in time for dinner. She was greeted by her mother and Link later that night, and they all sat down for a quaint but enjoyable meal which was riddled with laughter and simple pleasantries. Over the past few months, Link had become quite the elegant speaker even when under pressure, which she attributed to both his tutoring and no small amount of practicing. She was quite proud of his progress regardless of his reason for trying so hard. Still, her beloved 'little knight,' as Marie had called him was a fast learner, especially when he put his mind to things, so she supposed there really should not have been much of a surprise.

"Zelda," Link began casually about halfway through their meal. "Do you have anything planned for next Saturday?"

"Well, I have a few meetings to attend regarding some of the local charities in town, but those are early in the morning. After that I have the rest of the day relatively clear, unless something springs up unexpectedly."

"Oh good," he smiled. "I heard back from Aryll few days ago and she and Rusl are planning to ride up for a visit. Seems they're looking for an able-bodied farmhand, and there are none available in Hateno so I suggested they come looking for one here. I was hoping that you and I could meet them in town and we could all enjoy a little time together."

"That sounds wonderful," Zelda beamed. "I'll make sure to keep my afternoon schedule cleared."

"Excellent! I look forward to it."

And with that said, she had not a single suspicion in her mind, and moved on to the next subject.

"So, has Jonathan decided if he will take an early retirement from the army?" Zelda asked.

"He has actually," Link answered. "This week in fact. I believe he, among countless other soldiers, had their fill of the military after the war. He yearns for a simpler life."

"What do you think he will do now that he is out?"

"Come back home, I suppose," Link answered. "At least for a time. I'm sure he much to restless here in the city to stay for long." A mischievous smirk landed on his lips as he took a pensive sip from his soup. "He's always talked about settling down, buying some land, become a simple farmer, and starting a family. I wonder how he would handle becoming a farmhand… Or more accurately, a shepherd."

"Oh?" Zelda grinned knowingly. "Perhaps we should offer him as a candidate for employment with your uncle. There's plenty of opportunity for country living and starting families in Hateno." With that, the Queen chuckled, and rolled her eyes before joining the conversation.

"I swear, you children scheme and plot like a band of thieves."

"We do nothing of the sort," Link laughed. "You should have seen the way he and Aryll danced and danced during the festival. I'm quite certain more than half of the plotting is done with already."

"Honestly, mother," Zelda added. "The work is already done. All it needs is a little nudge."

"A little nudge indeed," she hummed peculiarly before taking a long drink.

* * *

 _One Week Later_

* * *

"I might drop in and pay Misses Tamlin a visit while I wait for you," Link said before kissing her lightly on the lips.

"It won't be long. Its more of a meet and greet than anything. I imagine it will be no more than an hour."

"Perfect," Link smiled before giving her hand a squeeze and strolled down the street while she entered the charity house for her meeting. It was a rather boring meeting, if Zelda were to be honest with herself, but she made sure her smiles were kind and generous as she discussed and mingled with the administrators and faculty, as well as speaking with some of the less fortunate souls that inhabited the place.

They were of course overly kind towards her and showering her with blessings for her generosity and thoughtfulness for the needy, but she reassured them that it was her sacred duty to protect and provide for her people, even as their Princess. That sentiment always brought a most genuine smile on their lips, which made it all worthwhile.

By the time she had finished her work, Link had returned to collect her, and offered his arm to escort her through the town. They had chosen to walk instead of ride horses as they wanted the chance to exercise their bodies to keep them warm in winter cold noon, which also gave her the perfect excuse to snuggle in as close as she could against Link. He appreciated the affection too, which only made it more worth it. Seeing him smile, even in the simplest of things, made her heart swell.

"How was your meeting?" he asked as they strolled through the street.

"It was well enough," she replied. "A tad bit boring, but the civilians were very kind."

"That's good," he said with a smirk. "I think you'll find that your people are quite in love with you as much as I am."

"Oh really? Are you certain about that?" she asked with a raised brow.

"Okay, well," he chuckled. "Maybe they can never love you as _much_ as I do, but the sentiment still stands. They adore you."

"They adore you too, you know. Perhaps some of them are a little scared to come face to face with the Hero of Hyrule, but they respect you."

"Ay, and what a change that has been," he sighed with relief. "I have to be honest, being labeled the Knight of Scorn for so many months really bogged me down. I'm just glad it's all behind us."

"I'm glad too," Zelda chuckled. "I suppose it would only be natural that the people would reconsider their ideas on someone if they saved them, then sacrificed themselves for them, _and then_ came back to life stronger than ever! If there's one thing out people understand, it is the will of the goddesses, and you are their Chosen One."

"Come now Princess," Link grinned. "You flatter me too much. You'll make my cheeks go red if you don't stop."

"And Hylia save us all if you blush in front of anyone―"

Zelda glanced around them and was rather surprised that the area around them was desolate of townsfolk. In addition to that, it seemed that Link had led her through a rather odd route back home, as they were now standing in Market Square not to far from the water fountain at its center.

"Speaking of 'anyone,' where _is_ everyone?"

"Its cold out today," Link surmised. "I guess most people would have rather stay home in the warmth." They stopped just shy of the fountains edge, and gazed around a little more, finding that also the few knight escorts that were following closely behind them had disappeared. Zelda scanned their area quizzically as if searching for an explanation for the oddly empty market place.

"This is certa―" Just as she turned back around to face Link, she found that he was down on one knee, and smiling endearingly up at her…

And then it all made sense.

"Zelda," he said softly. "You remember the first time we met here right?"

"How could I forget," Zelda replied, feeling as if all the air in her lungs had been taken away, and she barely managed to hold back the tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks. She could hardly contain the emotions gushing from her heart as she knew exactly where this was going. "I remember thinking you were just the most adorable little thing, and when you saved me from that dog… Even as a child you knew how to make me swoon mister Link," she teased.

"It was quite involuntary at first I assure you," he laughed. "Later on, however…" He smirked again.

She noticed the slightest hint of wetness in his eyes, which only added to the ravishing glimmer to them… Godesses, she always loved his perfectly deep blue eyes, and now that his hair had grown nearly back to the length it once was, she was just absolutely… She just could not explain it, but she loved everything about him. Even when his scars marred his face, and his eyes bore the weight of sadness and hopelessness, she often found herself fighting every instinct to pull him in and meld every inch of her body against his and share in his suffering.

She loved the way he smiled, even when he tried to hide it. She loved the way he was so gentle and kind in his bearings, and yet when duty called was the fiercest warrior she had ever seen. She loved how wholly devoted he was to his responsibilities, and how he carried out his word with absolute dedication and honor. She loved the way he somehow made the simplest of gestures and courtesies seem so meaningful and caring.

She valued his honesty and sense of purpose. She valued his integrity. She valued his quest for modesty and humbleness, even though she could find fault in his occasionally over harsh self-criticism and unrealistic sense of perfectionism. However, that was something that made him so unique, and she would never have him any other way. That's what she was for. She was there to comfort him and reassure him that even when he felt like a failure, she would be there to pick up the pieces and hold him together with every ounce of loving embrace she could give.

And she loved that he was always there to do the same for her.

He was always so quick to comfort her and speak reassurance and truth to her heart. He wanted nothing but the best for her, and even when he was misled to believe what the best for her was, he always came from the foundations of love and dedication, and quickly accepted when he was wrong. Yet at the same time, he was as stubborn as a mule, but that was okay. She could, and forever would work with that.

"Zelda," he began again. "I don't know how to put into words how much I love you. From the day I met you, you have been one of the kindest, and most genuine people I have ever known. Even when I deserved it, you were never quick to be angry with me, and always found a way to bring me to understanding. I love everything about you. From your smile that makes me stumble, to the way you love so fearlessly and vulnerably… Even though being stubbornly courageous is supposed to be my thing, you have time and time again proven to me what true bravery looks and feels like. If it weren't for you I would have never pulled myself to my feet and accepted the responsibilities given to me. You are my strength and my comfort. You are my everything."

Zelda could barely contain the giggles bubbling in her chest when he at last held up his closed hand, and at last opened his fingers to reveal a simple but positively gorgeous ring, whose jewel was shaped into the form of a Silent Princess.

Zelda covered her mouth and wiped the tears from her eyes as she squirmed with joy.

"Zelda, will you marry me?"

"Of course, Link!"

Never, in all eight years of knowing Link had she ever seen him smile so brightly. Goddesses, preserve her soul she felt like she was going to melt to the floor as he placed the engagement band on her finger and stood, tears welling in his eyes. She could not hold back any longer and launched herself at him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Oh goddesses, I love you so much!" Neither of them could contain their sniffle-nosed laughter as they rocked back and forth, their hearts beating against one another.

"You know," he laughed, "sometimes I wonder if I really did die, and I'm in the afterlife with you right now… because ever since I returned, life has never been more perfect."

"I wonder the same thing," Zelda teased in response as she kissed his ear. "And either way, I don't care. I'm just happy I get to be with you till the day we die, and beyond."

"And we will be together forever, sweetheart," he laughed as he nuzzled tighter into the crook of her neck. "Although, I have to ask… Can we please have our wedding as soon as possible? I'm dying over here."

"Oh don't you worry," she beamed. "As soon as the snow clears up enough for people to travel, we will."

"Spring can't come quick enough," he sighed.

"I agree," she said as they finally pulled away from one another, but still were holding hands. "But I have to ask, how long did it take for you to organize all this?" she asked, gesturing to the completely empty market.

"Only a week," he replied. "Your mother was quite the help, let me tell you. She handled the logistics, and I handled getting the men to block off the streets for a bit and crowd control."

"All this work for little ol' me?" Zelda teased.

"Absolutely," Link replied resoundingly. "I would do anything for you."

"Is that so?" she smirked. "How about you marry me?"

"To bad," he said amusedly. "I'm already engaged to the most wonderful woman in the world. And you better watch out for her. She sealed away a world eating monster all on her own. Its better not to cross her."

"She sounds fierce," Zelda played along. "Remind me to steer clear." With a peck on the lips, they took each other's arms, and continued their walk, preparing to meet the forthcoming crowd of well-wishers, and enthralled onlookers. "So, was you whole story about your family coming to visit a lie just to have an excuse to join me today?"

"No, actually," Link chuckled. "They are in town. They've been here since yesterday. They will be at the party we have set up at the Castle." He smirked again. "Jonathan will be there too."

"Oh good," she cackled. "I suggest we prepare a dancefloor."

"Already done, _my_ lady."

* * *

 _Two Months Later_

* * *

The wait had been agonizing for a multitude of reasons. Although, Link could not deny that there was one particular reason that was much stronger than the others. However, all of that would change by the end of this most wonderful occasion. It felt as if a smile had been transfixed on his face nearly the entire day, despite the stress of ensuring everything was in place and as it should be. It seemed to be infectious, as those he passed would often pick up on his smile and carry it with them wherever they went.

Rusl, even after their rather ― _straightforward_ ― discussion that morning was beaming with a smile. It seemed that being his only surviving family member in the male-figure role granted him the responsibility of sitting Link down and having a very real and honest conversation about what to expect, and more importantly what _not_ to expect once the wedding was over and he and the Princess were left to their own devices.

Link yearned for a day when his ears and cheeks would stop turning red so often, but nonetheless, he appreciated the advice and knowledge. Inside his chest he felt the swirling desire to do everything in his power to both make sure Zelda was comfortable and happy, and he prayed that she would offer the same.

No one was allowed to know, but he was feeling rather nervous about it. Pathetically so. He made double sure he never showed that aspect.

Still, that was a worry for the near future. Right then and there, he anxiously waited for the Cathedral doors to swing open, and for his heart and soul to walk down the aisle. That was why his heart nearly stopped when at last the trumpets blared and the great wooden doors creaked and rang, allowing a gust of fresh early spring air to rush in.

He caught the faint smell of flowers on the air, and he was quite confident on knowing its source.

However, that pleasant smell fell flat in comparison to the sheer vision of the goddess Hylia that stood radiantly in the entry way. Link thought back on a belief he held previously that he had seen the most beautiful woman in the world when she was bathed in golden light to fight back against an ancient evil that haunted their land, but as his eyes were blessed by the new sight before him, he had unabashedly been proven wrong.

Zelda, dressed in her immaculate white gown of shimmering fabric and glittering jewelry, was undeniably the single most profoundly beautiful things he had ever seen. She had some how beat herself in her own game of beauty. He had to pray to the goddesses above to keep his knees from trembling. Her dress seemed to meld into the exact shape of her waist and hips, making the desires within twist themselves in notes with how unfairly perfect she was.

He smiled so much that it hurt.

He was fully captivated by the way she graced the ground she walked and stood upon, and never took his gaze off of her emerald eyes that he swore sought to smite him right there. He could not pay attention to anything else, and on more than one occasion the priest had to nudge his arm for his attention as they took vows and passed along prayers.

Link found himself uttering the words ordained by tradition, but they simply failed to truly capture the swell of unconditional love in his heart for his dear Princess.

And when she reached out with the presence of her mind and wrapped around his, he understood she felt the same. The vows they spoke were mere shadows of the vows they made to one another not through words, but through fully unkempt, unreserved emotions that traveled between the connections of their minds. They withheld nothing from one another.

All his nervousness melted away when he could marvel in her warmth and presence.

* * *

Link was everything to her. He was the air she breathed, the food she ate, the water she drank, and the sleep she slept. Looking at his smile that reached ear to ear made her heart crumble, and she was quite certain there had never been a finer looking nobleman, lord, or king compared to the devilishly handsome young that stood waiting for her dressed in the fine garments fit for a prince-consort. It suited him perfectly in every way, and accentuated his broad chest, lean arms, and commanding stature.

Any one would be a fool to not see the spirit of a king resting within him.

His eyes shone like the blue starlight of their dearest stars, and his light golden hair would have made any self-important lady envious of how soft it was. She could simply not take her eyes off of his. That was when she decided to reach out with her mind, and wholly bond herself with his mind. What she found was of the most endearing, loving, and wholesome natures… Ones that she knew where there all along but had been only given in spurts until now. All it took was a flutter of his heart, and an embrace of his heart for her to understand that everything she felt for him was reciprocated in full to her.

They made their vows by mouth, as the traditions had them do, but the vows they made to one another in their hearts, minds, and souls put the vows of their world to shame.

Zelda could hardly believe that the day had finally come.

"Then by the will of the golden Three, and the Chosen Guardian of Hyrule, Hylia, I pronounce you husband and bride. May you find peace for all your years and be guided by the stars."

" _I love you, Link,"_ she whispered to his mind.

" _And I love you, Zelda,"_ he replied before pulling back her veil, and pressing his lips against hers for as long as he possibly could without upsetting the stingier attendees and holy-people.

After that, the celebration kicked off the way any Hylian wedding would. With more alcohol than anyone should have really had, dancing, speeches, storytelling, and merriments in all shapes and forms. Link had made sure to include dancing lessons in his many months of tutoring, as he surprised Zelda by leading her through a timeless, but very difficult waltz that sported many dips, twirls, and spins.

They both simple could not cease laughing like children.

Of course, they were not the only ones enjoying the unique enjoyment of joining hands in dance, as Aryll and Jonathan ―just as the newlyweds had planned and nudged― spun together to their hearts content, much to their approval, and Rusl's fatherly nervousness. It was no surprise when Jonathan had agreed to take the job in Hateno to work as his farmhand later that night, no doubt having every intention of wining his trust, and by proxy his daughters hand.

Even little Aden, who had nearly doubled in size seemed to be enjoying the vibrant colors and lights of the party, and was passed frequently between his mother and grandfather, the newlyweds, and even the Queen herself, who despite her advancing age rocked and babbled with the child with the sprightliness of a new mother.

It was truly a perfect night, and by the time Link and Zelda stumbled their way back to the room prepared for them, they collapsed on the bed exhausted, but absolutely happy.

"Zelda," Link giggled, only slightly intoxicated. "I don't know how we're ever going to top this day. Are we doomed to spend the rest of our lives living in slightly above average mediocrity?"

"You know, I'm not quite sure, my dear husband," she laughed. "But, I'm looking forward to it regardless."

"Oh," he smiled. "Well in that case, why don't we make it just _that_ much better?"

"Let me call my handmaid first," she stoutly said as she pressed a finger against his nose before he came in for a risqué kiss. "You are to by no means help me out of this dress, otherwise you will tear off the buttons!"

"I'll be careful, I promise," he insisted as he fell back lazily, an amused smile on his lips. Zelda merely huffed and laughed as she pulled the cord that rang for Gretel. "Haven't you seen me play the harp? I have the gentle fingers of a master magician."

"Musician," she corrected in her own tipsy manner.

"Same difference," he chuckled before sitting up and moseying to the bathroom to clean up, particularly to wash out the smell of alcohol from his mouth. Gretel arrived promptly and gave a quick wink as she silently helped her undress and slip into a much more comfortable night gown before slinking away as quickly as she had come.

"And speaking of your harp, where is it? I should like to hear you play."

"Its somewhere in my old room," he answered as he reentered with damp hair and a towel draped around his neck, and dressed in a simple night robe. "Shall I go fetch it for _my_ lady."

"Ah, that won't be necessary my good sir," she giggled.

"Are you certain? I would like to make you happy in anyway I can." A flirtatious smirk fell on his lips then. "Besides, it would give you enough time to freshen up, should you so desire."

"Well, if you put it that way…"

"I'll be back in just a moment, sweetheart," he smiled before slipping through the door way.

Zelda took the opportunity to wash her face and rinse her mouth out, finding that it helped sober her up considerably. After that she paced around rather nervously, unsure of what to do. Of course, she knew what she wanted and needed to do once he got back, but not exactly the best way to do it. She just prayed he would take the lead as she hopped up in the bed and lounged around until at last Link reentered, harp in hand.

"Its going to need some tuning," he said as he plucked a few off-tune strings before joining her on the bed. "But, its good as the day I received it. Any requests from the Princess?" he asked while making slight adjustments to the strings.

"You may surprise me with which ever song you like?" Zelda replied in good humor. Link smiled before plucking and tuning the last two strings, and then began to play a simple but cheery tune. As he continued to play they drifted closer to the center of the bed with their backs against the headrest, and Zelda leaning against his side with her arm wrapped around his waist. She could feel and hear his heart beating steadily quicker with anticipation as the song drew to the end, which prompted her own heartrate to rise.

With a satisfied sigh, Link ended his song and placed his harp at the foot of the bed before wrapping both arms around her, drawing her in against his chest, and kissed her on the head.

"I don't think I can ever say this enough, but I love you." Zelda tilted her head up to him and they locked eyes as smiles stretched across their lips. His genuine happiness was so disarming that she felt the surge of confidence that enabled her to nimbly swing one leg over his hips so that she was straddling him before bending down to land a long, passionate kiss on his lips.

"Why don't you show me then?"

That seemed to be all the consent he need as he scooped her into his arms and rolled her so that he was resting on top of her, joined at the hips. Already she could feel the weight of his body rest against her in all the right places, elevating her heartrate and making her giggle with anticipation. His face grew a little more serious for a moment, but it was a look of concern more than anything else.

"Zelda, I want to know that if at any point you don't like something, or if it hurts, tell me right away. I want this to be special for you." She kissed him again as a show of her appreciation and spoke.

"Thank you, Link. And let me know if there's anything I can do that will make you more comfortable."

"Being with you is comfort enough," he smirked before locking his lips with hers in a racy, open-mouthed kiss. One of his arms soon began to nestle in the small of her back, and then the other one ran down the length of her back side as it drifted down her leg to the back of her knee. His lips began to work their way down her jaw and onto her neck.

And it only got better from there.

* * *

They laid against each other bare under the heavy blankets, wholly satisfied and content for nearly a half hour. There were of course moments of miscommunication, awkwardness, or slight pain, but both parties worked through it, and would not have had it any other way. Link had stayed true to his word, and did his best to make her comfortable, and she returned the favor passionately.

"I do believe the goddesses have blessed me with more than I could ever deserve," Link's warm voice cut into the dark night.

"Need I remind you that you personally freed all three from corruption, single handedly preventing the end of existence as we know it?" she giggled before placing a few kisses on the sensitive skin just below his earlobe. That was a spot she had discovered he liked being kissed on… a lot… in addition to many places.

"I know but… I just love you so much and… I guess I'm just so used to doing what I am tasked to do without reward or recognition outside of the feeling of accomplishment."

"Would you rather you not be rewarded?" Zelda asked sarcastically before moving in closer to kiss him again.

"Oh, believe me sweetheart, I wouldn't trade you for the world. It was just a thought." Zelda yelped with excitement as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her on top of him as he kissed her bare skin.

"So soon, huh?" she laughed.

"Can you blame me?" he gasped between kisses.

"Never. I was just surprised by how soon."

"I'm a young man, dear. It's what we're known for."

"Well then I have no complaints!" she replied as she slid down under the covers. That time she was very set on her dear little knight to be doted on. He deserved it.


	48. Epilogue

**Author's note:** Turns out I lied. Looks like it is 1700 words instead of 3000. I honestly felt like anything more would have just been stretching it out. I said everything I wanted to say, and I am more than happy with it!

Anyways, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING!

Seriously, every single review you lovely people left has warmed me to the heart, and kept me motivated to write this story! It means the world to me all the support you folks have given me.

Honorary shout out to:

Kersplunk

LongShlongJohn

Bud

Orbital

OnePunchFan8

And all guests that left reviews. All of you were just lovely! If I did not get your name there, and you left a review, I'm sorry, just know I love you all the same. And please remember, I am releasing the first chapter of my next series right after this! 10,000 years ago we GO!

* * *

 _Epilogue_

For nearly twenty years did the Queen of Hyrule rule her kingdom, confidently assured in the success of her daughter and prince-consort to take her place the throne once she had stepped down as its sole monarch at the grand age of seventy-six ―or one-hundred and seventy-six― depending on if you accounted for the century long battle she faced locked away in a bubble outside of time.

In that sense, no one could blame her for desiring to spend the remainder of her life blissfully shuffling about the castle, spoiling her grandchildren and great grandchildren, and taking the more reserved role of Queen-Mother. And spoil her grandchildren she did, for a plentiful amount did the new King and Queen produce. So many in fact, that many wondered when the golden goddesses restored the infertile body of the King when he returned from death, they blessed him with the gift of bountiful fruitfulness, even when they took precautions against it.

It was a rather lewd joke spread among the people, but there was no real harm in it.

Eleven children the new Queen gave birth to in total across those near twenty years; a staggering number almost unheard of in their day and age, but through it all she emerged just as strong, and just as healthy as the last time before finally calling it quits at the eleventh, bearing a daughter who they lovingly named Ellen, named after the King's mother.

Of the first born, the King and Queen kept true to the age-old tradition of naming the first girl born to the Royal Family 'Zelda,' as her mother, grandmother, and great grandmother before her had been. After that, they chose names of their liking starting with Rhoam, the second oldest and first male of the family, then Evie, Adeline, and Derick, Gavin, and Leo ―who were renown for their boyish antics― Gerald, Olivia, Nora, and lastly Ellen.

Rhoam and the Terrible Three, as Derick, Gavin, and Leo were nicknamed when in conjunction with one another, all grew up to train as knights in the Royal Guard like their father, although they were the cause of the creation of a new order of knights know as the Kings Guard, which consisted of only noblemen and women who were in possession or in line to inherit lordships or ladyships. It offered them a chance to be raised in an environment that fostered unity, strategy, and overall militaristic adequacy among the many strongholds and forts scattered about Hyrule.

This also created a way for the common man or woman to earn a title of honorary lordship or ladyship through means of proving their worth to the King, thus allowing for a system founded on the principals of position by merit instead of position by social status. It was indeed a rare occurrence, but in the many years that the King and Queen reigned, nearly a half score of men and women were granted titles of nobility.

The eldest daughter of the King and Queen followed in their footsteps and found a husband worthy of the title of prince-consort in her twenty-third year; a knight named Sir Judah, who was brought up through the Royal Guard, and inducted into the King's Guard at an impressive age. They too bore many children, bringing about the third generation to live in the rebuilt Hyrule Castle, although they kept their count to a measly five children.

Over the many years that followed the King and Queen's children grew, married, and bore children in droves. It was no surprise when two or more daughters or wives-of-sons were pregnant at one time, resulting in a near multiplicative expansion of children that littered the halls of Hyrule Castle.

"All the merrier," the Queen-Mother would often be heard laughing when the announcement of another birth was celebrated.

She was sorely missed when she passed away at long last to join her husband in the afterlife reaching the staggering age of ninety-six ―or as always, one-hundred and ninety-six― if one so chose to view it as such. The King and Queen however remained ever strong and faithful in her loss, for they knew that it was what she had dreamt for years… Many poems and songs were written for the First Queen of New Hyrule, detailing the extraordinary life she led. Legend had it, if one were to kneel and pray to the goddesses for courage and wisdom, they could find it given in plentiful amounts from none other than the benevolent and content spirits of the First Queen and the First King.

And so, for nearly a half century, the new monarchs ruled their kingdom with just and stern, but understanding and reasonable hands, until like their predecessor, stepped down from the throne instead of ruling till death, leaving Hyrule in an astonishingly brighter and more prosperous place than it had ever been, laying the ground work for countless generations to thrive upon.

It was at the end of the King's reign that he at last understood the promise made to him by the goddesses. He had in fact, alongside his most beloved Queen, created a legacy by which Hyrule would forever prosper from, and its people would look to and strive to achieve, secured in the line of their first daughter and her husband, and their children after.

They both passed away a mere year apart at the ages of ninety-five, and ninety-six, the Hero of Hyrule being the latter, who at the end of his life seemed more in clouds than he did on the earth. Still, in his last year, any could find him with a smile on his face, and generosity in his heart as he parted with wisdom and encouragement for any who desired to hear it.

Two great days of mourning were held in honor of their passing, for they had indeed earned the unwavering love of their people through the years.

Now, of the Hero's cousin, Aryll, she was indeed a wonderful woman. As the King and Queen had schemed on their wedding night, Jonathan of Castle Town went into employment under Rusl, Aryll's father, and there he worked as a farmhand for two years, earning both the trust and admiration of the gruffy old geezer, and of the townsfolk who idolized him for the connection to the Hero of Hyrule, who visited him and his family often. After those two years, Jonathan asked for permission to court Aryll, which was granted to him, until six months later they were married and together raised the illegitimate child of Aryll's abuse.

Jonathan, however, never saw it that way, and raised little Aden as his very own, and cared for him deeply.

They of course had many children of their own after that and began a strong legacy that fed the settlement of Hateno Village for many generations with able-bodied young men, as well as fair and fierce young ladies. It was during this time that Aryll, her father, and Jonathan were granted the titles of nobility, as they were then tied in blood or by law to the King and Queen of Hyrule, and so they oversaw the management of the prosperous village in a joint effort with the regularly elected Mayors of that region.

It was the only settlement to have this type of joint-agreement in place, but they made it work flawlessly, turning Hateno Village into a booming farm industry that supplied more than half of Hyrule's grains, and livestock.

The story did not end there, however. As Aden grew to be an intelligent, and astoundingly strong man, he enlisted into the service, where he quickly rose through the ranks, and became a commander for a short time, until he retired and took on the role of a diplomat as he worked to strengthen ties with the Faronite people, and became fast friends with Drodvaltol, who spoke well for his people. He was the first to truly set the example of what the Faronites were capable of, as he himself was part Faronish, and through hard work and dedication, formed the unbreakable bond that allowed the region of Faron to be at last inducted into co-rule with Hyrulean Crown.

MiarindÍl, or the Forest Mother, as she had widely become known as, continued to help her people recover from near extinction after the War brought by Demise. A vast number of her people set sail across the ocean yet again and returned to the island they had found nearly ten thousand years ago. While they were there, they gathered and nurtured the woman who survived Ganondorf's corruption, and willingly returned to their true homeland, where they set about repopulating their race under the care of their patron deity.

However, that left a vast majority of Faronite men without spouses, as they nearly tripled the number of women that were alive.

That was what spurred the Great Migration, as it was nicknamed by scholars nearly a century later. The Great Migration was an event that created a huge influx of immigrant workers in Hyrule that for awhile caused an economic crisis wherein labor was deflated to such a poor rate because of the excess non Hylian-speaking Faronite men searching for a purpose that they flooded and oversaturated the job market.

To alleviate this, a new order was set into place, in which Faronish men were offered the opportunity to for their own militia that answered to the crown for reasonable pay and basic education, and then after fifteen years of dedicated service would be gifted small portions of land where they could settle on their own ―or with any hope― find spouses among the other races in their time abroad to begin families.

While it took many years to implement such an order effectively, the plan worked, and soon after fifteen years, the first settlers were granted their farmlands, and many found spouses among primarily the Hylian and Gerudo races; although there were instances of marriage between a few Faronites and Rito women, and even Zora women, but because of their incompatibilities of sexual organs, bore no children, and married simply out of love.

And so, nearly two centuries after the events of the War of Demise, Hyrule was a kingdom of vast cultural populaces that intermingled and traded freely… all of which was possible because of one Hero who conquered death, and a woman born of Hylia's blood who sealed away a great and terrible evil.

 _The End_


End file.
